Arunachal: Militants thriving on transport subsidy
The special investigation cell, probing `1,000 crore hills transport subsidy scam of Arunachal Pradesh, on Tuesday claimed that money being siphoned off in the name of transporting the PDS items in the frontier state was also going to the coffer of the militant organisations of Assam and Nagaland.
The SIC has been formed at the instruction of the Guwahati high court after it had taken up a public interest litigation filed by activist Bamang Tago who alleged massive pilferage of public money in the name of payment of hill transport subsidy in Arunachal Pradesh.
The SIC which has named more than 44 persons including MLAs, IAS officer, FCI contractors is interrogating former chief minister and veteran Congress leader Gegong Apang in its custody.
Of the 44 accused, 19 have been arrested so far by the special investigating cell. “In all, 19 accused including former chief minister Gegong Apang, have been arrested but 18 of them have been granted bail by the Yupia fast track court,” SIC head M.S. Chauhan, said.
Disclosing that investigation into the scam has not only revealed the nexus of militant organisations, Mr Chauhan said that a sizeable share of `1,000 crore has gone to militant organisations.
“We have got conclusive evidence in this regard while examining the accused of the scam,” said Mr Chauhan over telephone from Itanagar. In what has come to light once again how militancy in the northeastern states was thriving on tax payers money, security sources at Itanagar told this newspaper that MLAs, FCI officials and contractors who siphoned of more than `1,000 crore from FCI as hills transport subsidy by presenting fictitious bills and claims were sharing a sizeable amount of money with outlawed Ulfa and NSCN rebels.
Indicating that thorough investigation may unfold many such instances of nexus, security sources however regretted that probe into the scam could be possible only after the intervention of the court. Even direction of the Chief Vigilance Commission to investigate the scam had failed to draw the attention of the government.
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