SHILLONG, Sep 30: In a scathing remark on Friday, the High Court of Meghalaya asked the state government to ensure that the alleged vehicle scam in the Police headquarters (PHQ) does not suffer from any “inquiry scam”, while directing the state’s Home Secretary to file a report on October 17, 2022, indicating the effective measures taken, including arresting any attempt by those prima facie found to be involved in the racket to remove their assets or funds.
“The greater scam in this country is not in the scams themselves, but in the inquiries that follow the scams. More often than not, tomes of paper are wasted to bury the truth and seldom have the guilty been taken to task or any attempt made to recover the public money that was wasted. It is hoped that this particular matter does not travel the same established route,” the order said.
The court was hearing a PIL filed by Riewad Vicharwant Warjri and another citizen on the perceived illegal procurement of vehicles by some officials of the Police department.
The petitioners claimed that different vehicles were purchased by the Police department since 2019 without any valid sanction from the competent authority and that a total number of 29 official vehicles were in the personal custody of the seventh respondent (SF-10 Commandant Gabriel K Iangrai) who was then the Assistant Inspector General (Administration).
“The petitioners suspect that though there was some hue and cry after the matter surfaced and some semblance of an inquiry may also have been conducted, there may be an attempt to cover up the entire episode and, worse still, not take steps against the guilty nor make any attempt to recover the public money that has obviously been squandered,” the division bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice W Diengdoh said in the order. The state government submitted that the inquiry has been conducted and the matter is under consideration. The government also submitted that though charges may be framed against some persons against whom prima facie material has been discovered, it is too early for any drastic action to be taken immediately.
When the court wanted to know whether any steps have been taken to ensure that those perceived to be behind the defalcation do not remove, dissipate or transfer their assets, the state government submitted that it is only after any person is found guilty of defalcation that steps may be taken to recover the money that may have been misappropriated.
The next hearing on the case will be held on October 17.
