Misappropriation of Rs 34.30 lakh in Forest dept: Council to seek legal opinion

SHILLONG: A chowkidar of the KHADC’s Forest department had misappropriated fund to the tune of Rs 34.30 lakh last year. The matter came to the fore officially when Congress MDC Mansturdy Nongrem sought information on the action taken in this regard from Executive Member in charge of Forest department, Grace Kharpuri during the question hour of the KHADC’s budget session on Wednesday.
Replying to supplementary question, Kharpuri informed that the accused in the scam is a forest chowkidar who is also engaged as peon in the office of the KHADC. “He was immediately suspended on November 2, 2016 and an enquiry has been ordered into the matter…Legal opinion will be sought and penalty will be taken accordingly,” she added.
Later, participating in the no confidence motion, Nongrem  expressed surprise over the fact that a chowkidar was able to pull off a scam of this magnitude all by himself.
Kharpuri claimed that the chowkidar had admitted to the crime and has even submitted a letter in this regard.