Former MDC lodges complaint against VPP president over Rs 35.25 lakh land purchase scam in KHADC

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaApril 17, 2024

Former Umsning MDC Donkupar Sumer on Wednesday filed a first information report (FIR) against the president of the opposition Voice of the People Party (VPP) Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit, who is also a Nongkrem legislator, for allegedly involved in theft, cheating, forgery and criminal misappropriation of funds in the garb of acquiring a land for the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC).

In the FIR lodged with the Lumdiengjri police station, Sumer said, “With due respect, this is to state that Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit has committed theft, cheating, forgery and criminal misappropriation of funds while he was the chief executive member of the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council and siphoned of the public money in the garb of acquiring a land for the council.”

“I was the executive member of the council at that time and, therefore, these facts have come to my knowledge. I also have cogent and conclusive evidence to prove the same which I have enclosed for your kind perusal,” he said.

The National People’s Party (NPP) leader also alleged that Basaiawmoit did not have any authorization of the executive members of the council for entering into any purported ‘sale deed’ nor was the sale deed ever registered.

“He (Ardent) merely signed an invalid document as an eyewash to show that the land has been acquired and he siphoned off Rs 35,25,039 from the accounts of the council. We later got to know that the document is only on a non-judicial paper of Rs 10. The so called ‘sale deed’ was never registered nor was the stamp duty paid. Therefore, it was an invalid document with no value in the eye of law, and he had signed it without authorization only to siphon off the public money. The result is that till date, the council has not been able to claim ownership over the said land and has to run its office from a piece of land donated by the landowners,” he said.

“The forgery committed by the accused Ardent Miller Basaiawmoit further apparent from the fact that when a notice dated July 15, 2022 was sent by the council for a survey, the landowner Mr Nolipstar Lyngdoh with whom the accused Ardent claims to have entered into a ‘sale deed’ has stated that he never received the full amount and, therefore, he cannot transfer the ownership of the property. This is evident from the enclosed minutes of meeting dated July 22, 2022 of the council,” Sumer added.

Further, the former KHADC EM said with ulterior motives to siphon off further funds, Basaiawmoit also terminated 7 employees on the pretext that the council does not have funds, and thereafter, hired 12 of his own people.

“You are, therefore, requested to take necessary action so that the accused Ardent cannot go scot-free after committing such a serious financial fraud against the council and the public at large,” he stated in the FIR.