The court of Lokayukta has directed the Director General of Police to depute an officer not below the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police to investigate the case regarding the misappropriation of funds meant for development works under GHADC.
In an order dated May 18, the court said the inquiry report will have to be submitted on or before August 19, this year.
The case was filed by Nilberth Ch. Marak through his counsel PT Sangma against Ismail Marak and two others.
The Lokayukta in its first order in 2019 had directed the DGP to cause a preliminary inquiry by an officer of the rank of DSP and to submit a report within three weeks. The investigation officer submitted the report and following this, the Lokayukta directed the Superintendent of CBI to make inquiry into the matter including drawing charge sheet on the basis of the materials collected. However, being aggrieved by the Lokayukta order, Kubon Sangma and Ismail Marak had filed a writ petition challenging the order of the Lokayukta for CBI inquiry and also challenging the vires of the Meghalaya Lokayukta Act, 2014.
The court disposed of the petition in view of the amendment of the Lokayukta Act, 2014 and accordingly the case was referred back to Lokayukta and the new chairman of Lokayukta took up the matter on May 18 for a hearing.
After hearing the parties, the Lokayukta directed the Director General of Police, to investigate the case u/s 20 (5) of Meghalaya Lokayukta Act, 2014.
The complaint was filed for non-implementation of the project allotted to the Asanang GHADC constituency, West Garo Hills represented by Ismail.
Forty-nine projects were allotted to Asanang constituency for 2017-2018 and all these projects were given to the two contractors, Kubon Sangma and Nikseng Sangma.
As per the preliminary inquiry submitted by the Investigation Officer it was found that out of 49 developmental projects that were to be implemented/constructed under Asanang constituency only one graveyard shed was constructed at Balupara and one water tank at Daljagre.
