Arunachal: Petitioner's advocate accuses state government of supporting corrupt officers and delaying case of DDUGJY scam

Anguished over extended dates and delaying tactics advocate Mehmood Pracha in the public interest litigation (PIL) case no 13/2022  fighting in Arunachal blamed Government for supporting corrupt officers from the back door. 

The hearing of the Deendayal Upadhaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY)142 crores alleged scam has been again extended to 28 October on its fifth hearing, since the inception of filing date on June 14, 2022.

The counsel of the case, Pracha, informed that “Through the response furnished in the case, it is understood that the Special Investigation Cell (SIC) has not investigated the case properly.”

“It is a clear-cut example that the government authorities are trying to protect the accused involved,” he added.

The counsel further informed that the private response comprising Nirvana and DNM was notified, stating that there will be a separate hearing on this.

“The government is making all efforts to delay the case,” Pracha said.

Pracha also informed that the government furnished a document of 660 pages a day before the hearing on Wednesday, ''wherein we will be taking time to response.”

Moreover, the accused are arguing only on maintainability of the case but not on corruption charges, however, the Court on Wednesday accepted to hear both admission(Merit) and maintainability of the case in the next hearing.  

Meanwhile, the High Court has also issued notice to both executing firms --M/s Nirvana Enterprises and M/s DM Group -- to appear before the court regarding the Bank Guarantee and other documents.  

''If the government is clean, then they should not play delaying tactics but instead call for free and fair inquiry against all the corruption charges,'' he added.

The Public Interest Litigation has been filed in the Guwahati High Court –Itanagar Bench before Justice SK Medhi and Justice Kakheto Sema praying for registering a criminal case as well as a judicial inquiry into the mismanagement of funds meant for the project under the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY) pertaining to three districts -- West Kameng, Tawang and Namsai worth Rs 142.74 crores.

A large scale of public work pertaining to electrification in the state was carried out under the Dheendayal Upadhaya Gram Jyoti Yojana from the year 2015 amounting to Rs426.7 Crore and the leftover funds of Rs 142.74 crores which are sought to utilize towards system strengthening works in West Kameng, Tawang and Namsai division. 

Furthermore, Adv Mehmood Pracha also informed the criminal can be charged with 467 IPC with forgery of documents, Prevention of Corruption act, and also a criminal bridge of Trust. 

Mehmood talking to the media alleged that 142 crore funds have been siphoned without doing any proper work and the high-level leaders of the state are also involved in this multi crores scam.