SHILLONG, July 7: Congress leader Mukul Sangma has described as “eyewash” the independent inquiry, ordered by the state government recently into alleged irregularities in the Power department.
“If you talk to any expert about the terms of reference (of the probe), you can make out that this is a design which is part of a well-scripted modus operandi. The inquiry is nothing but eyewash. They can now conveniently say they ordered the probe,” Sangma said on Wednesday.
“The inquiry is a process by which you put an end to any speculation of irregularities or corruption,” he said.
Accusing the government of misusing power by suppressing truth, Sangma said it is high time that people come out and protect their interest as well as the interest of the state.
He alleged that an attempt was made, particularly by Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, to stonewall a fair investigation.
Referring to the letter of United Democratic Party, which made specific allegations of irregularities in the Power sector, the former CM asked, “If there are 10 cases of thefts, will you file only one FIR by clubbing all of them?”
He categorically stated that the drama that unfolded needs to end in the interest of the state and its people. He said any audit will reveal that there were irregularities and the losses to the exchequer were huge. “There are reasons to believe that there’s a criminal conspiracy involving a number of people in the awarding of contracts and the implementation of the scheme,” Sangma said, adding the government is in a hurry to close the project even before its completion.
