Source: The Imphal Free Press
Imphal, July 02:
Prime accused in the siphoning off of Rs.75.6 crore sanctioned under the special central assistance under tribals sub plan during 1997-98 financial year may go scot free, reliable sources said.
The central assistance meant for improvement and repairing works of schools, community halls, inter village roads and bridges were to be implemented in Ukhrul, Senapati, Tamenglong, Chandel and Churachandpur.
The huge amount for the upliftment of the living standard in the tribal villages in the live hill districts was sanctioned while Samuel Jendai was the minister of development of tribals and backward classes.
After receiving the nod from the state government, the administrative approval and expenditure sanction for the works were given by the then director for development of tribals and backward classes, S Jerol.
Ironically, S Jerol is now holding the post of director vigilance, the department which is investigating the case.
The whole game plan came to light when some sincere representatives of village authorities lodged complaint during 1999 about non-implementation of the works at their respective villages despite the funds being sanctioned.
Some chairmen of village authorities in Tamenglong district even filed a written complaint about the non-implementation of the works in their respective villages, which were to get a share of the centrally sponsored scheme as according to the order issued by the state government.
Interestingly, a public interest litigation petition filed before the Gauhati High Court Imphal bench during 2001 failed to make any headway and was subsequently withdrawn.
It is reliably learnt that the state vigilance commission had taken up the case during last year, but the investigation has been delayed on the ground that the task involves �huge effort� covering all the five districts.