Shillong, Dec 29: The state government has unceremoniously sacked three Lokayukta Investigation Officers through a WhatsApp message for allegedly unearthing a major scam in the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) involving an MLA of ruling NPP.
The axed officials are Director of Inquiry and Prosecution J Rymmai, who is a former IPS officer; and Enquiry-cum-Investigating Officers R Pde and Anil K Sangma.
Reacting to the sacking of the three officials, Kingstone B Sangma who is the complainant argued that the state government cannot remove officials in this manner.
He said that the government is trying to save its face since Mahendraganj MLA, Sanjay A Sangma has been charge sheeted for anomalies in the construction of the MDC hostel. The MLA is the brother-in-law of Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma.
Kingstone said the trial against the MLA is still on at the District Special Session Court.
According to him, these officers were also removed with the intention to protect one Twinkle Newar Sangma who is also a “well-wisher” of the government since there is an inquiry going on against her on a documentary project which was allotted by the GHADC at a cost of Rs 5.82 crore.
“The government is trying to save the people who are the well-wishers of this government,” Kingstone told The Shillong Times.
Questioning the claim of the government that they were removed because they were officers who had retired, the complainant said that this is not acceptable since those who were appointed for the earlier inquiry were also retired officials.
He further said that the Lokayukta Act was very clear that the officials once appointed should remain in office for a period of five years.
“What I learnt is that the government did not even issue show cause notice to these officials before removing them. As per my information, the government in fact had already appointed three officers before terminating their service,” Kingstone said.
“As per protocol, the government should issue the termination letter. But no such notification were issued to them,” he claimed.
Meanwhile, a senior official in the Lokayukta claimed the removal of the officers had nothing to do with the alleged scam in the GHADC.
He said the three were removed as their services were against provisions under the Meghalaya Lokayukta Act, 2014. He claimed that as per the Act, officials who are in government service can be appointed as Lokayukta investigation officials. He said the three are retired officials.
“The government has already appointed officials, who are still in service, in their places to rectify the error it had committed,” the official added.
One of the officers told journalists he was appointed barely 9-10 months ago and his tenure was for five years.
“I don’t know why I was removed,” the officer said.
The Meghalaya Lokayukta had on July 28 charge-sheeted 12 people, including the Mahendraganj MLA, for non-completion of the construction of the member’s hostel in Tura.
Sangma was a contractor of the project worth Rs 6,01,31,100. It was taken up a few years ago.
Besides the MLA, the others named in the charge-sheet were former GHADC Chief Executive Member Denang T Sangma, former MDCs Augustine R Marak, Brilliant R Sangma, Dipul R Marak, Kurosh M Marak, Winninson Ch Marak, Dolly K Sangma, Bhupen Hajong and Sukaram K Sangma, former GHADC secretary Hewingson A Sangma and contractor Dolrich D Sangma.
The individuals were charge-sheeted based on the report of an investigation. The report was submitted by Investigation Officer/Member of Inquiry Wing of the Lokayukta Anil K Sangma.
Meanwhile, Thma U Rangli Juki (TUR) and KAM Meghalaya have taken strong exception to the sacking of the three officers.
In a statement, TUR member Angela Rangad said it is a clear indication that the government will undermine institutional independence and resort to illegal acts to defend corruption.
She observed that the Lokayukta in Meghalaya was established after a long people’s struggle and the law was designed to ensure that the Lokayukta would have independence to investigate corrupt acts by all public servants – from peon to the Chief Minister.
“To ensure that it is an effective institution, the law conceived that it would have an independent investigation and prosecution wing. The Meghalaya government cannot sack Lokayukta officials because the investigating officers are under the administrative superintendence of the Lokayukta and not the state. We shall be seeking legal advice so as to challenge this unethical and unlawful act by the government,” Rangad said.
She further said that it has become increasingly obvious that Meghalaya is reeling under poverty and has one of the worse socio-economic indicators in the country – be it education, healthcare or other entitlements such as food and housing. Then, she said, there are crumbling and substandard infrastructure and roads.
“The root cause of this is an abuse of power and corruption. Yet we find this government attempting to weaken and obstruct the functioning of the Lokayukta which is a body for us, the public, to ensure transparency and hold the government actions accountable. The government action is against the spirit and letter of the Lokayukta Act,” she added.
