Vehicle ‘scam’: State Lokayukta summons Iangrai, former DGP

SHILLONG, Oct 19: The Meghalaya Lokayukta has summoned former Director-General of Police, R Chandranathan and Meghalaya Police officer GK Iangrai in connection with a complaint asking the panel to probe the misuse of vehicles in the police headquarters (PHQ).
The complaint on the irregularities in the procurement of vehicles and other anomalies was lodged by Trinamool Congress (TMC) spokesperson Saket Gokhale.
An order issued by the Lokayukta on October 18 said it had seen the complaint against Iangrai and Chandranathan. It scheduled on November 15 a hearing on the maintainability of the complaint.
Copies of the order have been issued to all the parties and the East Khasi Hills superintendent of police has been asked to issue notices.
In a letter to Lokayukta chairperson Bhalang Dhar, Gokhale had listed 10 points on the “horrendous conduct” of the Meghalaya Police.
The TMC spokesperson said he took the step on the basis of Dhar’s statement that he would initiate an inquiry into the allegations if a formal complaint was lodged as there is no provision for suo motu investigation in the Lokayukta Act.
The complainant said 29 new vehicles procured by the Meghalaya PHQ had not been officially allotted to any officer and neither were they allocated to a pool of vehicles to be at the disposal of the Police department.
It added that these 29 vehicles were found to have been in the personal use of AIG(A) Iangrai.
“There are instances of many new vehicles where cheaper models were purchased but invoices were raised showing procurement of more expensive variants by the AIG,” he wrote.
“There are gross irregularities found in issuing fuel coupons for these new vehicles where government fuel was being used for private use and fake fuel coupons were generated,” he added.