Congress alleges Rs.500 crore scam in Tripura

Agartala, Oct 20: The opposition Congress in Left-ruled Tripura Monday alleged that Rs.400-500 crore have been embezzled in the last two financial years, and that it would move the high court for a CBI probe into this.

"In the Left regime, only in two financial years - 2011-12 and 2012-13 - Rs.400-500 crore had been misappropriated in different departments of the government," opposition leader Sudip Roy Barman told reporters here."We approached prime minister, union rural development minister, CBI director, Tripura governor, state chief secretary and others to conduct a thorough inquiry to uncover the scam. But no action has been taken yet," he said.

He said only an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation(CBI) can expose the swindling of the central government funds sanctioned to implement various schemes.

"We would file public interest litigation (PIL) before the Tripura High Court Oct 27 seeking CBI probe into the siphoning of huge government funds. Tripura government has now topped the list of corrupt state governments in India."

He accused Chief Minister Manik Sarkar of remaining a mute spectator to the unrestricted corruption in government departments in the state.

Meanwhile, the government suspended a civil service officer for his alleged involvement in the Rs.17 crore scam in the Bishalgarh block in western Tripura.

In another move, the health and family welfare department has ordered an inquiry into the 'misappropriation' of Rs.30 crore, sanctioned by the central government for implementation of the National Health Mission (NHM) in northern Tripura.

IANS