SHILLONG, Oct 20: The state government on Thursday said the High Court of Meghalaya’s directive to the Chief Secretary and the Director-General of Police to not let even “an ounce of illegally-mined coal” pass through the state will be followed to the hilt.
“Whatever observation has been made by the high court it will be followed to the fullest,” Home Minister Lahkmen Rymbui said while reacting to MPCC chief Vincent H Pala’s quip that the state government, as always, will not respect the order of the court.
The high court on Tuesday directed Chief Secretary DP Wahlang and DGP Lajja Ram Bishnoi to ensure “not an ounce of illegally-mined coal” is transported through the state, whether in trucks or in other vehicles.
The full bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee, Justice W Diengdoh and Justice HS Thangkhiew also directed the two officials and all other police personnel to ensure strict compliance without “bowing to any political interference”.
The court had also directed the DGP to put all district superintendents of police on notice that they shall be held in contempt if illegally-mined coal in the state is found to have originated in or passed through their jurisdiction.
Pala had stated, given his past observations, that he does not expect the government to honour the court’s order as it had ignored the directives of even the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal.
Countering Pala’s charges, Rymbui said, “We are here to implement all the legal matters and implement the court’s observations. The government has already initiated disciplinary proceedings as per the mandate of the rule in this particular case.”
Vehicle scam: Departmental proceedings initiated
Speaking about the “vehicle scam” in the Police Headquarters, Rymbui said departmental proceedings have been initiated and the report is awaited.
Asked about the status of the inquiry report that was submitted to the government, he said, “Our duty is to find the truth and start disciplinary proceedings if (the irregularities are) proven.”
“Charges have been framed. Action will follow after the officer concerned (GK Iangrai) replies to the charges,” he added.
Rymbui trashed the perception that the alleged scam dented the image of the state police. “We have nothing to hide and whoever wants to circumvent the law will have no place to hide,” he said.
He declined to comment on the high court issuing a rule of contempt against the Home Secretary for “deliberately disregarding” its order and “trying to obfuscate the issue and stand as an impediment to a fact-finding exercise in the matter of defalcation of public funds”.
He advocated a “wait and watch” policy when pointed out that Iangrai’s name emerged again in a fresh case of subversion of the system, misappropriation and submission of “false certificates”.