AITC files petition before Meghalaya Lokayukta seeking independent probe into irregularities in procurement of police vehicles

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaSeptember 7, 2022

The opposition All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) national spokesperson Saket Gokhale on Tuesday submitted a complaint before Meghalaya Lokayukta urging for setting up of an independent investigation into the alleged irregularities in procurement of vehicles and other anomalies in the police department.

In the complaint submitted to the chairperson of the Meghalaya Lokayukta Bhalang Dhar, Gokhale said, “…that an independent investigation be urgently conducted by your office into these irregularities and that immediate action be taken against all those involved in this scam.”

He said that the decision to file a formal complaint was due to the fact that the Meghalaya Lokayukta was quoted in the media saying that it is willing to initiate an enquiry into these allegations if a formal complaint is made as there is no provision for suo-moto investigation in the Lokayukta Act.

Quoting the findings of a police enquiry committee, Gokhale said, “A total of 29 new vehicles procured by the Meghalaya Police HQ had not been officially allotted to any officer and neither were they allocated to a pool of vehicles for being at the disposal of the Meghalaya Police Department. These 29 new vehicles were found to have been in the personal use of AIG Shri G K Iangrai. There are instances of many new vehicles where cheaper models were purchased but invoices were raised showing procurement of more expensive variants by AIG Shri G K Iangrai.”

He added, “There are a gross number of irregularities found in the issuing of fuel coupons for these new vehicles where govt. fuel was being used for private use and fake fuel coupons were generated.”

Expressing a sense of consternation, Gokhale wrote, “Despite an enquiry committee headed by Meghalaya Addl Inspector General of Police (IGP) Sh. Mukesh Kumar Singh exposed these irregularities in a report to the Director General of Police, Meghalaya, there has been no action against AIG G K Iangrai.”

Castigating the government’s intentions procrastination in pursuing the investigation, Gokhale commented “The inaction of the Government of Meghalaya in this matter despite a scathing enquiry committee report clearly shows that there is a lack of will to take action against those involved in these irregularities and that there is an active attempt being made by senior ministers and officials of the Meghalaya Government to bury this scam.“

He said in fact, Chief Minister of Meghalaya has blatantly claimed that these irregularities cannot be called a “scam” despite all facts indicating that public money from the exchequer was misused for the personal gain of a senior police officer.