By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The Shillong Bench of the Gauhati High Court on Wednesday convicted two more persons, who are relatives of the former NEC official, VK Lyngdoh, in connection with siphoning off several crores of rupees meant for cultivation of medicinal plants.
Earlier, the court had convicted three NEC officials in connection with the case.
The case dates back to 1997-98 when the Centre sanctioned money for plantation of agar and rubber worth Rs 20 crore under NEC scheme to disburse the same for the Northeast states.
However, the money was allegedly misutilized by these three officers of NEC resulting in providing undue financial benefits to one of the relatives of the NEC official.
The CBI registered three cases in which Takap Ringu, the then Secretary of NEC, Jatin Dutta , Under Secretary, Planning and VK Lyngdoh, the assistant research officer, NEC, were found to be involved , along with some relatives of the officials who took the grant-in-aid.
The CBI found that the grant-in-aid was disbursed to relatives and friends by the officers violating the stipulated guidelines and also by entering into criminal conspiracy and misusing the official position. Moreover, money disbursed was not used for the purpose for which it was sanctioned.
In 2004-05, a Special Judge of CBI in Shillong had convicted three officials for two years of imprisonment. The officials later got bail and hence they did not undergo imprisonment. However, the relatives to whom the money was paid were not punished.
The court, while taking up the case on Wednesday convicted KM Roy and Darlin Pyngrope ,who happen to be father-in-law and mother-in -law of VK Lyngdoh.
The court also asked three officials to surrender before the CBI trial court here on February 19.
Meanwhile, the quantum of sentence to the relatives of the NEC official will also be decided by the Court on February 22.
When contacted, the CBI counsel and senior prosecutor, Advocate VK Jindal confirmed the development.
