Newmai News Network
Kohima | July 5
After the DAN government rejected to sanction prosecution against the persons involved in the Nagaland Sugar Mill employees Voluntary Retirement Scheme scam, the opposition Congress has sought the intervention of the Governor of Nagaland for immediate sanction against those persons charge-sheeted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The Congress which called on the Governor on Saturday submitted a letter seeking his immediate intervention into the matter and to issue a sanction order to prosecute the four persons involved in the scam, including the Rajya Sabha MP, Khekiho Zhimomi.
The CBI had already charge-sheeted, Khekiho Zhimomi, Hokishe Assumi, Deputy Director, Industries and Commerce and two members of NSCN, Azheto and Visheto, but the state government said it would not issue the sanction order to prosecute the culprits.
Earlier, the chief minister of Naglaand, Neiphiu Rio had categorically said the state government would not issue a sanction order as the CBI was not invited by the state government to investigate into the scam. He however said the government is prepared to settle the matter with the aggrieved members outside the court and the CBI.
Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee, led by its president, K V Pusa called on Governor, K. Sankaranarayanan on Saturday evening and submitted a letter demanding immediate prosecution of persons involved in the scam. We would like to place before you that the NPCC is fully committed to corrupt free, accountability and transparent government in the state. However we regret o say that the NPF led DAN government could not rise up to the expectation of the people by indulging in corruptions and scandals after scandals in various departments in the state the NPCC letter said.
The Congress also expressed sadness over the government’s decision not to sanction prosecution against persons involved in the scam on flimsy ground to give protection to the corrupt activities of the state government despite being charge-sheeted by the CBI.
According to the CBI investigation, Hokishe Assumi, Deputy Director and the two NSCN members on April 27, 2004 illegally and forcibly disbursed a sum of Rs. 30 lakhs in a house near Central Jail Dimapur. A sum of Rs. 13,69,000 was disbursed by them, while they ordered the chairman adhoc committee NSMC under threat to disburse the remaining Rs. 16,31,000 to the seasonal employees proportionately who were not present in the house on the date the CBI said.
The investigation further revealed that the two NSCN members ordered at gun point Cisheke and Baban Rai, the then chairman and secretary of adhoc committee respectively of the ex-seasonal employees of NSMC to put their signatures on the APR for the whole amount of Rs. 1,23,03,580.00 against the names of all employees who were not present in the house. Visheke had no option but to sign APR but Baban Rai only defaced the revenue stamps by putting ubdulating lines only on the pretext that he was illiterate and did not know how to sign the CBI report said.
The investigation also revealed that the two members of NSCN had retained the original APR for Rs. 1,23,03,580.00 on April 27, 2004 and subsequently the original receipt for disbursement of Rs. 30 lakhs had been taken away by the NSCN from Visheke. The CBI also said Assumi had personally produced the APR to the Director of Industries in May 2007 after a lapse of about three years when the state vigilance inquiry was on progress.
Investigation further revealed that during 2004 one of the NSCN member had forcibly taken the secretary of the adhoc committee from his home at Sugar Mill village, Dimapur to the office room of Hokishe Assumi at Kohima, a few weeks before the payment.
The two NSCN members are still absconding and the CBI had urged the union government’s intervention to nab them. It has also urged the state police to trace the absconding cadres. Efforts have also been made to pursue the matter with the special secretary (internal security) MHA, New Delhi who is also the monitoring authority and the chairman of the ceasefire agreement with NSCN to locate the members of NSCN but it has yet to yield any result the CBI report said.
The investigating agency has also indicted K. Keppen, director of Industries and Commerce and Kahoto Sumi the then DDO for major penalty. Meanwhile, the next session of assembly is most likely to witness pandemonium over the issue as Congress is determined not to allow those culprits to escape the law of the land.
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