Tripura: BJP MLA denies any probe into the land acquisition case of Notingcherra tea garden

BJP MLA Bhagaban Das from Pabiachhara on July 10 denied the existence of any probe into allegations of corruption related to the land acquisition of Notingcherra tea garden in Unakoti district. 

The development comes after Tripura Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha informed the Assembly that the Crime Branch Unit (Economic Offences) of Tripura police has initiated an investigation into allegations. 

The Chief Minister made this statement in the Assembly while replying to a question by Congress MLA Birajit Sinha on the land acquisition of the tea estate for national highways.

Serious allegations were raised against BJP MLA from Pabiachhara, Bhagaban Das, and some people in the area, who had tried to manipulate the process of land acquisition for the national highways and misappropriate funds. 

However, on July 11, while addressing a press conference, BJP MLA Das said that the opposition has hatched a deep conspiracy against him since the Assembly election just to defeat him from the seat.

Claiming that he is not aware of any kind of probe into such an allegation, the MLA said, “On 2021 during Covid, a ten-member delegation of Notingcherra tea garden workers met me and informed me that since two weeks they were not receiving any wages as I heard that one person named Ranjan Sinha has written a letter to the then Additional District Magistrate (ADM) to freeze the bank account from where workers get their salaries. I was in doubt about the matter and spoke with the then ADM and he also said there are no such other reasons to stop their payment but the person has written to freeze the bank account citing some reasons".

He further said that on 24 May 2021, the workers have given a deputation on the wages to the Minister.

“Over their wages and other kinds of help during Covid, I wrote to ADM on 27.5.2021 to look at how to make the payment”, said the MLA.

The MLA further claimed that the allegation about the money around Rs 58 lakh for National Highway was debited on May 04 2021 and then step by step it was withdrawn and the last date of withdrawal was May 17 of 2021 according to the bank statement.

“My name was linked with the money laundering case on land acquisition but the NHIDCL has transferred the Rs 58 lakh of land acquisition to the bank account of Sunshine Tea Processing Private Ltd which looked after Notingcherra tea garden. And they have withdrawn the money as well. But Ranjan Sinha has written to freeze the bank account. In this incident, I have no role and I was not even aware of it. In May 2021 I wrote to ADM for wages but the money was transferred to the bank account of Sunshine Tea Processing Private Ltd in March. Just to malign my name some local and foreign people are hatching conspiracy against me”, said the MLA.

On the Chief Minister’s statement over the probe, the MLA, however, denied any investigation in this case and said the probe is underway in another Murticherra tea estate of Tripura.

Also read: Tripura: Drugs worth over Rs 101 crore seized in last three years in state, over 2, 000 held