Shillong, Sept 6: Under the MDA Government’s rule, even the State Police, the guardian of law, are steeped in the muck of corruption. Recently, an inquiry conducted by the Meghalaya Police Department on the purchase and allotment of vehicles and the use of fuel at the Police Headquarters exposed the malfeasance of the Assistant Inspector General (A) Gabriel K. Iangrai, according to a Press statement issued by the TMC.
On 6th September, 2022, TMC National Spokesperson Saket Gokhale wrote to Bhalang Dhar, the chairperson for Meghalaya Lokayukta, lodging a formal complaint on the irregularities in procurement of vehicles and other anomalies in the Meghalaya Police HQ.
TMC National Spokesperson Saket Gokhale took the accountability of lodging a formal complaint, since from his letter it is known “on 04.09.2022, you (Bhalang Dhar) were quoted in the media saying that the Meghalaya Lokayukta is willing to initiate an enquiry into these allegations if a formal complaint is made as there is no provision for suo-moto investigation in the Lokayukta Act.”
In a list of salient ten-pointers, the TMC National Spokesperson has elaborated upon his claims regarding the horrendous conduct of the police department. He highlighted, “A total of 29 new vehicles procured by the Meghalaya Police HQ had not been officially allotted to any officer and neither were they allocated to a pool of vehicles for being at the disposal of the Meghalaya Police Department. These 29 new vehicles were found to have been in the personal use of AIG , G K Iangrai. There are instances of many new vehicles where cheaper models were purchased but invoices were raised showing procurement of more expensive variants by AIG, G K Iangrai.”
He added, “There are a gross number of irregularities found in the issuing of fuel coupons for these new vehicles where government fuel was being used for private use and fake fuel coupons were generated.”
Expressing a sense of consternation, Saket Gokhale wrote, “Despite an enquiry committee headed by Meghalaya Additional Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mukesh Kumar Singh exposing these irregularities in a report to the Director General of Police, Meghalaya, there has been no action against AIG, G K Iangrai.”
Castigating the government’s procrastination in pursuing the investigation, Saket Gokhale commented “The inaction of the Government of Meghalaya in this matter despite a scathing enquiry committee report clearly shows that there is a lack of will to take action against those involved in these irregularities and that there is an active attempt being made by senior ministers and officials of the Meghalaya Govt to bury this scam.”