Thaindian News

Shillong, Aug 2 (IANS) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a charge-sheet against five people, including three officials of the North Eastern Council (NEC) and a college principal, involved in fraud in a development project, a CBI official Monday said.
“We have filed a charge-sheet in the court of the special judge against the five people July 30 on the allegation of irregularities in implementation of a scheme - Holistic Cluster Approaches at Grassroots level for Sustainable Development in North Eastern Region,” CBI Deputy Inspector General (DIG) H. Nongpluh told IANS.

The charge-sheet has named former financial adviser U.N. Majhi, former director (Science and Technology) R.P. Kharpuri (both retired) and Extension Officer (Seismology) A.D. Kharshiing. The other two are Peter Thorose, principal of the St Peter’s College here and his deputy D.D. Syiem.

The scheme was funded by the Science and Technology Sector of the NEC at a total estimated cost of Rs.4.98 crore which was to be implemented by St. Peter’s College in the year 2004-05 and targeted to be completed in the year 2006-07.

Out of the estimated cost of Rs.4.98 crore, a total amount of Rs.2.67 crore was released by NEC in three instalments - Rs.47 lakh, Rs.20 lakh and Rs.2 crore to St Peter’s College in the financial years 2004-05 and 2005-06 for implementation of the scheme in five villages of Meghalaya, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

During the course of the investigation, the CBI found that these NEC officials did not conduct proper evaluation of the scheme submitted by the college at the time of granting administrative approval and sanction, nor was proper monitoring done by the sector concerned of NEC during implementation of the scheme, violating the various government rules and guidelines.

Out of the total Rs. 2.67 crore released by NEC to St. Peter’s College, an amount of Rs.35 lakh was transferred to Meghalaya Environment and Wild Life Society, in which Thorose is the secretary and Syiem the treasurer.

The CBI also found a forged land document was submitted by Thorose to show purchase of land worth Rs.1 crore which was not actually purchased. Further equipments which were shown purchased were not available in the college. Thus the total amount misutilised by submission of false report/false bills/vouchers and forged documents come to Rs.1.26 crore.