Aizawl, February 16: The Special Judge for Prevention of Corruption Act in Aizawl on Monday sentenced three government employees, one of them retired by now, and a supplier in a graft case in which Rs 35.85 lakhs were withdrawn with fake bills for procurement of silpaulin sheets back in 2006.
The court sentenced the two government employees and the pensioner to two years’ imprisonment while the supplier was sentenced to one year.
The special judge Vanlalenmawia convicted former director of Disaster Management and Rehabilitation department P C Lalthlamuana, 75, in-charge of the departmental store R Vanlalhmuaka, 55, and cashier Lalhmingliani, 58, on Friday and pronounced the quantum of punishment on Monday in which they were to undergo imprisonment for a period of two years.
The judge also sentenced Thanzami Tochhawng, 76, owner of the Floria Glamour, the authorised dealer of silpaulin in the state for one year.
Being elderly people, the judge allowed them bail so as to give them opportunity to seek appeal in the higher courts.
An FIR in this connection was submitted to the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on February 27, 2013 by one person who alleged misappropriation of funds by withdrawal of Rs 35.85 lakh by using fake bills in the state Disaster Management and Rehabilitation department.
The ACB sleuths investigated the case and submitted charge sheet on September 19, 2014 and supplementary charge sheet on May 31, 2016 in which six people were indicted in the case.
The court dropped the case against an Assistant of the department who died during the trial and also against another official due to lack of evidence.
