Sinlung /
10 August 2010

Prism Files PIL With HC Against Mizoram Govt

gauhati high court Aizawl, Aug 10 : Mizoram-based anti-corruption watchdog People's Right to Information and Development Implementing Society (PRISM) has filed a PIL with Gauhati High Court against the state government's alleged withdrawal of a criminal case.

Prism had lodged an FIR with the state anti-corruption bureau in 2008 to investigate the alleged misappropriation of funds in the construction of two micro hydro projects--Kau-Tlabung and Tuipanglui--in southern Mizoram.

''After a thorough investigation, vigilance department ordered ACB to register a criminal case against the concerned engineers on May 13, 2010,'' the PIL stated.

The state vigilance department, however, ordered the bureau to withdraw the case on July 2 without stating any reason.

''We termed the government's order to withdraw the case as an attempt to cover up a misdeed, which we felt was a clear indication that highly-placed people were involved in the corruption,'' Prism was quoted as saying in a separate statement.

Sources said the government, in a 'confidential' notification on July 2, had decided to constitute a departmental inquiry into the case, instead of a criminal inquiry.

As a result, the special court (anti-corruption) on July 3 allowed the 13 engineers (of power and works departments), whose names had appeared in the ACB investigation, to withdraw their anticipatory bail petitions.

The PIL was filed in the High Court on August 4, Prism sources stated.

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