Knew MeECL dealings weren’t flawed: James

SHILLONG, May 27: Former power minister, James PK Sangma on Friday said he is yet to read the report of the independent inquiry committee headed by Justice (retd) RN Mishra.
The committee had probed the irregularities in the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) and the Power Department.
Asked about Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma’s revelation that the probe panel did not fault MeECL on procurement, he said he had always believed the process was not flawed.
“We have to believe it when the chief minister is saying there is nothing in the report. It was an independent inquiry carried out by a retired high court justice. We have to go by its findings,” James told reporters.
The report is yet to be made public despite assurances from the government.
He also said All India Trinamool Congress leader Mukul Sangma had never questioned the terms of reference (TOR) of the committee in the past.
“He (Mukul Sangma) is now questioning the TOR when the report is not to his liking. Why did he not mention this earlier? He should show more graciousness by accepting the report of the inquiry committee,” James said.
He said casting aspersion on the report was akin to casting aspersion on the people who conducted the inquiry.
Mukul had on Thursday claimed he knew all along that the probe panel would not be able to unearth the truth due to its “non-specific TOR”.
“The inquiry has to be specific about any instance of alleged irregularities or corruption. I have always maintained that it has to be specific,” the former chief minister said.
The TOR of the committee was to examine the records and make recommendations concerning the procurement, aggregate technical and commercial (AT&C) losses, human resources management aspects of the functioning of MeECL and its three subsidiary companies – the Meghalaya Power Generation Corporation Ltd, the Meghalaya Power Transmission Corporation Ltd and the Meghalaya Power Distribution Corporation Ltd.
The inquiry committee, constituted on July 29 last year, handed over its report to the chief minister in New Delhi on March 29.