SHILLONG, Aug 30: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Tuesday said it is improper to call the alleged irregularities and mismanagement in the Police Headquarters (PHQ) a “scam”, apparently unaware that the word was mentioned in the report compiled by the five-member inquiry committee.
When he was corrected by the reporters he was talking to, he said he is yet to go through the report.
“…it is not correct to jump to conclusion from the Press side and start using big words to get the attention of the public. It does not look proper,” Sangma said.
“If there are facts and figures and the same come out, then that is fine. We will do whatever needs to be done. We have never shied away from any inquiry and we will not shy away from it either,” he added.
The CM said it needs to be examined if the personnel concerned misused public funds. He said the government will order an inquiry if the Home department suggests so.
“As I mentioned a week or ten days back that from overall initial looks of everything happening, it appears that there were some issues concerning allotments and use or misuse in certain areas but in principle, the procedure looks to be in place,” the chief minister said.
He said the department is probing the matter and it will come out with its findings. The government will take action based on the suggestions of the Home department and the officials.
A high-level inquiry, ordered by Director-General of Police (DGP) Lajja Ram Bishnoi, had unearthed unofficial procurement and mismanagement of 29 vehicles and use of fuel by the then Assistant Inspector-General of Police (Administration) Gabriel K Iangrai.
He has been on medical leave and is allegedly admitted in a city hospital ever since Bishnoi took over as the DGP in May this year.
Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui on Tuesday reiterated that the department may take action in the “vehicle scam” only after getting the full report. He said he has not seen it yet.
“After we get the full report, we will ask the necessary questions and seek the response of the persons involved,” he told reporters.
Stating that there is no question of lack of trust in the police as they are doing a good job, he said he will comment on the matter only after studying the full report.
Asked if there will be an independent inquiry, the minister said the government is not shying away from its responsibility and it will not hide anything. He also said that the question of action or inaction does not arise at this moment.
It may be noted here that in its inquiry report, the five-member committee headed by Inspector-General of Police (Law and Order) Mukesh Kumar Singh, has recommended constitution of a high-level fact-finding inquiry to go into the details of the entire “scam”, arguing that the present inquiry report may not reflect the entire magnitude of the “scam”.
