An FIR should be filed by the Asian Development Bank into the latest alleged scam in the Power Department relating to the smart meter project, the leader of the opposition, Dr Mukul Sangma, said today.
Earlier this week, it had been reported that the ADB had noted that not a single smart meter from its $132 million project has been installed in Meghalaya despite completion certificates for 25,000 being signed by an official of the Meghalaya Power Distribution Corporation Ltd.
Speaking to reporters today, Dr Sangma said that if the government has received specific inputs about the supposed irregularities, then an FIR has to be lodged with police.
“Even the ADB should lodge an FIR and proceed further to insulate themselves from the perception that they are complicit in the instant allegation of corruption pertaining to implementation of smart meters,” Dr Sangma stated.
The leader of the opposition said that once an FIR is lodged then the investigation process can proceed apace.
He said that this is not the first instance of alleged irregularities and alleged instances of corruption in the Power Department.
“If you look at various inputs that have started coming out, it only substantiates these allegations that there is a reason to believe that something serious needs to be probed,” Dr Sangma said.
Given the seriousness and the gravity of the situation and the likely instance of involvement of multiple people, Dr Sangma said that the concerned authorities, including the ADB and all others that are responsible for facilitating the funding of this particular project, must file an FIR.
