Former minister denied anticipatory bail

Shillong, Mar 11 (UNI) Former Meghalaya Community and Rural Development (C&RD) Minister Beckstar K Sangma, accused of misappropriation of Central funds, was denied anticipatory bail at a district sessions court.

Mr Sangma had appealed for anticipatory bail in the court of the Additional District Magistrate in the Tura, the district headquarters of West Garo Hills district, fearing arrest in the Rural Innovative Housing Scheme(RIHS) scam, where Rs 50 lakh was illegally withdrawn. He was denied anticipatory bail yesterday.

Earlier, West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner P Sampath Kumar filed an FIR against three Block Development Officers and an NGO Gambil Ading for their alleged involvement in Rs 50 lakh innovative rural housing scheme scam in the state's Garo Hills.

The three BDOs in the dock are John Lakiang, Dr A Roy and Mathus D Sangma. Besides the FIR filed against them, the state government has also directed the department concerned to initiate departmental proceedings against the three officers alleged to be involved in the scam. The department has been directed to complete departmental proceedings within this month.

Former Lok Sabha speaker Purno A Sangma unearthed the rural innovative housing scam in Garo hills last year. The issue rocked the state and the then Community and Rural Development Minister Beckstar Sangma was forced to resign when his involvement in the 50 lakh scam along with three BDOs and the NGO Gambil Ading was alleged.

However, the amount was immediately returned but this didn't stop a citizen from Garo Hills from filing a PIL in the Gauhati High Court asking for action to be taken by the state government against those involved in the scam.

Acting on the PIL, the High Court directed the state government to file criminal proceedings against people involved. Accordingly, the government which has to submit the action taken report before the High Court by the end of this month, filed the FIR against the three BDOs and the NGO Gambil Ading.

UNI