CBI Gets Nod on NC Hills Mising Autonomous Council Graft

Guwahati, Mar 18 : Dispur has agreed to a CBI inquiry into the charges of corruption against the Mising Autonomous Council.

The government made the announcement on the floor of the Assembly after seeking its consent for a high-level inquiry. The move came after the issue of corruption in the council was raised by Rajiv Lochan Pegu, a member of the ruling party.

The council came under the scanner following the arrest of its principal secretary, Garga Ram Pegu, by Darrang police with over Rs 16 lakh in cash under the Prevention of Corruption Act on March 8.

The next day, Pramila Rani Brahma, the minister for welfare of plains tribes and backward classes and a legislator of the Bodoland People’s Front, found herself in the eye of a storm in the Assembly when the Opposition charged her with trying to shield the official.

The Opposition asked Dispur to clarify media reports suggesting the cash was meant for either a minister or a militant outfit.

Brahma today said she was ready for a high-level probe, including one by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), if the Assembly so desired.

Health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, however, pointed out that going by the experience of the NIA probe in North Cachar Hills, it would be better to go for a CBI probe.

“Even the NIA had mooted a CBI probe in the NC Hills case as it would cover all aspects,” he said.

Outside the House, Brahma told this correspondent that she would request chief minister Tarun Gogoi this month itself to recommend a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities at the earliest.

“From our end, we will process the file and move the chief minister this month. We would also like to get to the bottom of the truth,” she added.

Independent legislator Bhubon Pegu who raised the issue in the House on March 9, expressing doubts over the efficacy of a probe by a government agency after the minister’s contradictory stand, welcomed the probe and wanted it to cover the angle of funding of militants.