Assam Ex-Gov Indicted in NC Hills Scandal

By Manoj Anand

Guwahati,Dec 13 : The multi-crore rupees North Cachar Hills scam continues to rock the state’s political scenario with startling evidence of then Assam governor Lt. Gen. Ajai Raj Singh (Retd) coming to light, directing the ICICI Bank authorities at Gurgaon to honour demand drafts issued by the council for payment in Guwahati.

The letter (No. GSA.114/207/26) written by the additional secretary to governor of Assam S. Jagannathan IAS to the branch manager, ICICI Bank Gurgaon, in possession of this newspaper, said, “I am directed to state that draft Nos. 327695 to 327698 for an amount of `20 lakhs have been drawn in favour of Pooja Kamaljit payable at Guwahati.

The same is originally intended for payment in favour of ‘Pooja Kamaljit’ instead and the same kindly be treated as a clerical error.”

Instead of asking the district council to issue the fresh demand draft, the office of then governor preferred to violate the rules by authenticating demand drafts of Ms Pooja Kamaljit.

This has come close on the heels of the observation of the accountant general in its special audit of the NC Hills Accounts that the then governor’s secretariat was holding several files of the council which could not be produced for examination.

Moreover, the report of the special audit, which is available with this newspaper, reported that the council lost substantial amount of revenue because of the irregularities committed in supply of bamboo to the Hindustan Paper Corporation while the council also lost huge amounts.