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Gogoi seeks CBI probe into NC Hills scam

By Kalyan Barooah

NEW DELHI, Feb 25 � Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi today announced the decision to recommend Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the financial irregularities in North Cachar Hills, in keeping with the suggestion of the Home Ministry.

The scam, which has taken a political colour, saw the AGP and Youth Congress members slug it out on the streets of the national capital. The State Youth Congress members in an obvious show of strength outnumbered the AGP delegation.

In a day of demonstrations, at least four different delegation from Assam staged sit in dharna at Jantar Mantar. Ally of the State Congress, the Bodoland Peoples Front staged a demonstration demanding separate State, while nearby All Assam Minorities Students Union and Assam Sankhalaghu Nagarik Adhikar Surakhsha Committee staged a joint demonstration pressing for solution of their seven-point charter of demands including revision of the Home Ministry�s guidelines.

The regional party, which brought in all its senior leaders and MLAs including Chandra Mohan Patowary, Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, Hiten Goswami, Phani Bhusan Choudhury, called on the Prime Minister at the Parliament House and Union Home Minister, P Chidambaram at his North Block Office.

At the end of the day, both the Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and Chandra Mohan Patowary claimed victory. Gogoi, because the Home Ministry�s letter mentioned only about involvement of government officials of the North Cachar Hill Autonomous District Council and not any ministers or MPs.

The AGP leader, on the other hand, gave its own twist to the issue by claiming that it was because of the pressure of the Opposition that the Chief Minister, who had once rejected the idea of CBI probe, relented.

The Chief Minister too had called on the Union Home Minister just minutes before the AGP delegation turned up. But it was ostensibly to discuss the ULFA issue. The issue of financial scam of the North Cachar Hills did not even figure in the discussion, Gogoi told newsmen.

�The Home Minister did not even ask me about my opinion about the issue,� he said, adding that the letter from the Home Ministry had reached him only this morning.

This is nothing but a politically motivated attack and malicious propaganda,� he charged.

A visibly elated Chief Minister received a copy of the Home Secretary G K Pillai�s letter to the State Chief Secretary, this morning. The letter said that during investigation, cases of involvement of, public servants of N C Hills for misappropriation of public funds and misconduct has been revealed. It is for this purpose that Government of Assam may consider recommending the investigation under Prevention of Corruption Act by the CBI.

Talking to this newspaper, the Chief Minister said so far they had no basis, barring the media reports to recommend CBI probe into the scandal. �But now that we have received the Home Ministry�s letter, we have decided to abide by the suggestion,� he said.

Denying the involvement of his ministers in the scam, Gogoi clarified that though Central funds are routed through the State Government to sixth schedule autonomous councils, Dispur has no powers to monitor or even order audit of the accounts. These powers are vested with the Governor and the Central Government. Even the CAG reports are not submitted to the State Government, he added.

Meanwhile, smarting under the opposition attack, the Congress Party is mulling to reopen the investigation into the multi-crore LoC scam, in a bid to target Mahanta. �So far we had not considered this but now we are planning to review the case, in which the CBI had indicted Mahanta but was denied permission by the then Governor Lt General (retd) S K Sinha,� said sources close to Gogoi.

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