SHILLONG, Feb 16: Former North Shillong MLA and VPP candidate, Adelbert Nongrum on Thursday gave his statement before the investigation officer at Sadar police station in connection with the FIR he had filed alleging misappropriation of funds for COVID-19 activities.
After emerging from the police station, he said he told the police that he filed the FIR as a responsible citizen and not as a former legislator.
“I hope action would be taken,” Nongrum told reporters.
He said the reply of Health Minister James PK Sangma on the floor of the Assembly during the autumn session in September 2022 was misleading. “No one can misuse public money. I want to know why Rs 43 crore remains unaccounted for and whether it has been misused,” he said.
Nongrum hoped inquiry into the misuse of funds will help unearth the truth about the people who were responsible.
In the FIR, he said Rs 43 crore out of the Rs 119 crore received as a central grant-in-aid through the National Health Mission for COVID-19 activities remained unaccounted for. The “missing money” was flagged by RTI activist Disparsing Rani recently.
Nongrum alleged there was an attempt to misuse the funds earmarked by the Centre through the NHM by reminding that the Health minister had Sangma told the Assembly that Rs 76 crore was sanctioned by the Centre for COVID-19 management.
