SHILLONG, May 9: The Meghalaya police have registered a case against the state’s Director General of Police Lajja Ram Bishnoi after suspended police officer Gabriel K Iangrai lodged an FIR accusing the former of misusing his position and tampering with the registration number of his official vehicle.
Iangrai leveled charges of criminal conspiracy and criminal breach of trust as well as forgery and cheating against the DGP who is set to demit office on May 19.
“We have received an FIR filed by Iangrai. It alleges that the vehicle the Director General of Meghalaya Police uses in his official capacity does not have a suitable number plate. We have registered a case based on the FIR and we will start an investigation,” East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police, Rituraj Ravi said on Thursday.
In the FIR filed at the Sadar police station, Iangrai said that an enquiry committee was constituted on July 18, 2022, and its report stated that a Hyundai Verna parked at the Central Workshop had been allotted a fake number. It also said the AIG-A did not register the vehicle as no documents were available.
Citing a letter received through a Right to Information (RTI) application, he said the registration number of a white Kia Carnival limousine that the DGP uses is actually of a Verna 1.6 VTVT registered with the state Tourism Department.
“The aforesaid information (provided) under the RTI by the Transport Department nails the said report of the Inquiry Committee, which calls for necessary action against the members of the committee,” he added.
Iangrai said Bishnoi arrived in Shillong on May 17, 2022, to join as the DGP in a white Kia Carnival registered with the government of Assam. But Bishnoi apparently had the number plate of the vehicle changed with that of the Verna, he said.
“It has further been learnt that the said Kia Carnival is a requisitioned vehicle for the purpose best known to Lajja Ram Bishnoi… he is using the same for his personal use, as would be evident from the photographs of the use and his presence in the vehicle,” he said.
“As per the rules and standard guidelines, the Director General of Police, Government of Meghalaya, Shillong is entitled to use a vehicle within the range of Rs 12 lakh only while the said vehicle cost almost Rs 40 lakh, to which the Director General of Police Government of Meghalaya, Shillong is not entitled,” Iangrai said.
“All these facts stated above point only to the offence of criminal conspiracy and criminal breach of trust as well as forgery and cheating committed by Lajja Ram Bishnoi. I, therefore, request you to register the case against the accused person mentioned above under appropriate sections of the law and prosecute him accordingly to ensure that he is punished for the same,” he added.
Iangrai enclosed the photographs and the RTI letter.
