Phumdi removal from Loktak lake case : Vigilance registers case against Ibobi, PD
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 27 2018:
On the charge of misappropriation of funds sanctioned for removal of phumdis from Loktak Lake, the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Department has registered an FIR against ex-Chief Minister Okram Ibobi and the Loktak Development Authority (LDA)
Project Director (PD) .
A well placed source informed that the FIR was registered on March 24.Subsequent upon the FIR, Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Department will conduct an enquiry against ex-Chief Minister O Ibobi and former LDA Project Directors Ch Gojendro and Th Ibobi.
The time period which the enquiry would focus would be from August 2008 to October 2009, said the source.
The three have been charged for cheating, criminal conspiracy, criminal misconduct and abuse of official positions.
However, none of the accused have been questioned so far.
An NGO lodged a complaint at the Delhi CBI office in 2015 with regard to the project of removing phumdis from Loktak Lake.
CBI then forwarded the complaint to the State Government.
The Chief Secretary sent the same complaint letter to the Vigilance in January this year with an instruction to conduct an enquiry.
As Vigilance detected certain irregularities, an FIR was registered.
Information received from the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Department said that no charge sheet has been framed even though a case has been registered.
The Loktak Lake Management and Conservation Project of Rs 400 crore was approved by the Planning Commission in 2007 when the Congress party was in power.
The project was awarded to Delhi based K Pro Infra Works Private Limited in 2009 which is a subsidiary body of the Hyderabad based Progressive Constructions.
Notably, BJP Manipur Pradesh lodged a complaint to the Central Vigilance Commission alleging that a huge amount had been swindled in the name of removing phumdis from Loktak Lake.