Gauhati HC to hear PIL on Arunachal’s alleged Rs 142 Cr scam on August 9

The Itanagar Bench of the Gauhati High Court has fixed August 9 next for hearing of PIL  No.13/2022 (Kaku Potom vs State of Arunachal Pradesh) related to the alleged Rs 142 crore scam under the Centre’s Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY) in Arunachal Pradesh filed by one  Kaku Potom.

Speaking to reporters after appearing before the High Court, Advocate Mehmood Pracha informed that due to the delay in the submission of the affidavit by the government responder and the requirement of a few more documents on the PIL, the Court has directed to fix the next hearing on August 9.

“This PIL is an open and shut case, but the responder is trying its best to defend it, and submitted their affidavit in court on July 24th last, a day before the hearing,” said advocate Pracha, adding that the Government responder is arguing on rules of filing PIL instead of responding on the main issues.

Meanwhile, Arunachal Chief Minister Pema Khandu is all set to move court against a “group of people” who have been spreading allegations of corruption against him. “I’m initiating legal action,” Khandu told India Today NE, even as several socio-political groups are engaged in protests against him alleging that the chief minister and his government indulged in corrupt practices in the allocation of Central funds.

Arunachal Against Corruption (AAC), an NGO, has accused the CM of being involved in multi-crore scams in various departments, including the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY) fund.

Advocate Pracha claimed that “in the affidavit of the responder, it is clearly mentioned that without the approval and signature of Chairman State Level Supervising Committee (SLSC) the Detail Project Reports has been sent to Rural Electrification Corporation Limited, Ministry of Power.”

"The approval of DPR was sent to REC on 15th October 2019, but interestingly departmental committee to approve the DPR was constituted on 22nd November 2019," stated Advocate Pracha.

He also informed that the government responder in its affidavit also mentioned that Rural Electrification Corporation Limited, Ministry of Power has directed over the phone to process the tender.

"We are not arguing that the whole Rs 142 crore has been misused. But there has been embezzlement of funds that needs to be investigated," he said.

Petitioner Kaku Potom has claimed that projects under DDUGJY are still not completed, and many projects are still under construction. 

"I have personally visited various locations of Tawang, Bomdila, and Namsai.  There are loopholes in the DPR, even the Chief Engineer has acknowledged it," he added while appealing for a third-party inquiry committee to probe the alleged scam.

A Public Interest Litigation (13/2022) has been filed in the Guwahati High Court –Itanagar Bench before Justice SK Medhi and Justice Kakheto Sema praying for registering a criminal case as well as a judicial inquiry on the mismanagement of funds meant for the project under the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gram Jyoti Yojna (DDUGJY) pertaining to three districts -- West Kameng, Tawang and Namsai worth Rs 142.74 crore.