SHILLONG, Aug 2 � The CBI has filed a chargesheet against four officers of North Eastern Council (NEC), including three retired officials, and the principal and vice-principal of a college in Shillong for financial irregularities of a scheme amounting to Rs 4.98 crore.
�The chargesheet in the Court of the Special Judge, Meghalaya, has been filed against UN Majhi, retired Financial Adviser, RP Kharpuri, retired Director (Science & Technology), AD Kharshiing, Extension Officer(s) all of NEC, and Peter Thorose, Principal of St Peter�s College and Smt DD Syiem, Vice-Principal,� an official statement said today.
The case was taken by CBI on the allegation of irregularities in implementation of the scheme �Holistic Cluster Approaches at Grassroots level for Sustainable development in NER.�
The scheme was funded by the Science and Technology Sector of NEC at a total estimated cost of Rs 4.98 crore which was to be implemented by St Peter�s College, Shillong 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 installments - Rs 47 lakh, Rs 20 lakh and Rs 200 lakh to the Principal, St Peter�s College, Shillong in the financial years 2004-05 and 2005-06 for implementation of the scheme in five villages of Meghalaya, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh, the statement said.
Investigation conducted by CBI revealed that the accused officers of NEC did not conduct proper evaluation of the scheme submitted by St Peter�s College at the time of granting administrative approval and sanction, nor was proper monitoring done by the concerned Sector of NEC during implementation of the scheme violating the various rules and guidelines issued by the government from time to time.
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 Wildlife Society, Maryland, Shillong in which Peter Thorose is the Secretary and DD Syiem is the treasurer.
�A forged land document was submitted by Thorose to show purchase of land worth Rs 1 crore which was not actually purchased. 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,� the CBI said.
The accused persons may face trial in the court of law, it added. � PTI
