Nagaland State denies Pillai's charges, says Center releases fund for Police Modernization
Source: NEPS

Kohima, February 19, 2012: Nagaland State Government has refuted the charges made by former Union Home Secretary GK Pillai that the Center had withheld release of fund to the State under its Modernization of Police Force (MPF) Scheme because of the inaction of the State Government against former DGP K Kire and other officials for alleged drawing of Rs 18 crore against fictitious bills.

The former Union Home Secretary, while in Guwahati recently, told section of media that the State (Nagaland) was given Rs 18 crore by the Center under its MPF Scheme to purchase arms, weapons, vehicles and equipment for six commando companies in 2009-10.It further alleged that the former DGP Kire and other officials had submitted fictitious bills of the amount released.

Pillai said the Center had already asked the Nagaland Government to take action against Kire and other officials for their involvement in the scam, but the State Government ignored the Center's directive owing to which New Delhi shelved the project in Nagaland recently.

Denying the charges, State Home Commissioner, J Alam, IAS, while talking to NEPS here on Sunday, said Pillai was, perhaps, not up to date of what was happening on the ground.

"I feel that the former Union Home Secretary might not have known what was happening on the ground," he stated.

"Because the Center has already released fund under its MPF Scheme for the state of Nagaland for the year 2011-12".Therefore, the charge made by the former Union Home Secretary that New Delhi withheld release of fund under its MPF Scheme to Nagaland was not "true," the Home Commissioner stated.

According to a MHA letter Vide No.6/9/2011-NE.I (NE Division), the Ministry has already approved Rs 29.93 crore (Rupees twenty nine crores and ninety three lakhs only) under MPF Scheme for the State of Nagaland for the year 2011-12.And out of this amount approved, the Ministry has already released Rs 26,43,38,000/- (rupees twenty six crores forty three lakhs and thirty eight thousands only) to the Government of Nagaland.

However, the amount Rs 349.62 lakhs has been retained for weaponry items for release by PM Division, Ministry of Home Affairs.

Besides this, the MHA as its Vide no.7/6/2010-NE-I (NE Division), New Delhi, dated 6th Feb 2012, has also released a sum of Rs 3,80,13,600/-(rupees three crores eighty lakhs thirteen thousands six hundred only) to the Government of Nagaland as reimbursement of Security Related Expenditure (SRE) towards deployment of Village Guards in Nagaland.

Asking his reaction to the development, the former DGP K Kire, IPS, wondered on the statement of Pillai.

He disclosed that MPF Scheme was 10-year Scheme and it had already completed.

"So just before I retired I had submitted the DPR to the MHA for the MPF of State Police as the Ministry asked us to resubmit it during our DGPs and IGPs Meet at Delhi," he disclosed.

Unfortunately, in the last CAG report, it alleged that Rs 18 crore under MPF released for the last MPF scheme for the State of Nagaland was drawn against fictitious bills.

But the State had already constituted High Power Committee and it had already investigated and completed its findings and at the same time PAC, comprising members from ruling and opposition, had already looked into the matter.

"They had physically verified everything and I myself faced them as and when they wanted me to," Kire disclosed.

"I believed the Center's release of fund just recently under its MPF Scheme on the basis of the DPR submitted when I was DGP and also just recent release of SRE to Nagaland is a manifestation that they had faith in the inquiry conducted by the HPC".

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