SHILLONG, Sep 2: The demand for a high-level inquiry into the alleged vehicle scam and other irregularities in the Police department, which had surfaced recently, has become louder.
Talking to The Shillong Times here on Friday, United Democratic Party (UDP) working president Paul Lyngdoh said the matter should be taken to its logical end.
“The police report should form the basis for further investigation. Those responsible should be brought to book whatever their designation may be or whatever position they may hold,” Lyngdoh said.
When asked if more people are involved besides the present Commandant of Special Forces-10 GK Iangrai who is the prime accused in this alleged scam, Lyngdoh said that it is for this reason that further investigation is needed to fix responsibility as per the law.
On the attempt of Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma to play down these irregularities in the Police department, Lyngdoh said that the CM will act as per his convenience.
“Sometimes the truth is inconvenient. That is why we should delve deeper into the matter so that we can stem the rot at this stage,” Lyngdoh said.
The Voice of the People Party (VPP) president Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit, while weighing in on the matter, said this is a fit case for a CBI inquiry.
“The skeletons in the NPP-led MDA Government have started to come out. The truth can no longer be hidden. If the state government feels that nothing wrong has happened then it should not have a problem in allowing an independent agency to investigate this matter,” Basaiawmoit said.
He observed that the best way to unearth the truth is to hand over the investigation into this alleged scam to an independent inquiry committee.
“It is very unfortunate on the part of the chief minister to blame others for the wrongs in his government. The CM is blaming the press and pressure groups who are raking up issues on the wrongdoings of the present government,” the VPP president said.
Asserting that the CM should come out clean, Basaiawmoit said that this can only happen by handing over the inquiry to the CBI.
“The CM should allow the independent agency to have a free hand to investigate this controversy in the Police department. Then only can he conclude that the media is trying to hype up this issue,” Basaiawmoit said.
He further stated that it is not right for the CM to blame the media when the internal inquiry of the Police department has unearthed serious irregularities in the department.
Earlier, Chief Adviser to the Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Alexander Laloo Hek had said that the state government should constitute a high-level inquiry commission to probe into this alleged vehicle scam.
“A proper inquiry is required into this whole controversy. It is not possible for one official to do it alone. There will be involvement from top to bottom,” Hek had said.
He had also pointed out that it was not right for the chief minister to downplay the alleged scam since the findings of the police inquiry are already in the public domain.
“The government should not shy away from constituting an inquiry in order to put things to rest,” Hek had stated.
