Mizoram's lone BJP MLA, 12 others jailed for a year in a graft case

Mizoram lone BJP MLA Dr BD Chakma and 12 others were today sentenced to one-year imprisonment on charges of corruption. Special Judge (Prevention of Corruption Act) Vanlalenmawia announced the verdict today at the District Court of Aizawl. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on the convicts.

Chakma has become the first legislator convicted in a graft case in Mizoram.

On July 22, 13 people, including Chakma and Chakma Autonomous District Council Chief Executive Member (CEM) Buddha Lila Chakma, were convicted in a graft case under Section 13(1)(d) read with 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. Apart from these two, the others—all members of the autonomous council—sentenced to jail are Amar Smriti Chakma, Adikanta Tongchangya; Parimal Chakma, Sushil Kumar Chakma, Chitra Kumar Chakma, Ajoy Kumar Chakma, Buban Kumar Chakma, Mohan Chakma, Amit Kumar Chakma, Susan Chakma, and Taranisen Chakma.

They were found guilty of misusing their power by diverting developmental funds from the Central government and fraudulently misappropriating Rs 1,541,73,238. In 2017, a complaint was submitted to the Mizoram Governor over alleged gross financial irregularities and misuse of funds meant for the implementation of developmental works.

The complaint was ironically initiated by the then general secretary of the BJP. Chakma was a Congress member then. In 2018, he became the first-ever BJP legislator when he won the Assembly polls. Earlier he had served as the fifteenth Chief Executive Member of Chakma Autonomous District Council. He was also a minister of state in the previous Congress government. Now he represents the Tuichawng constituency in the Mizoram Legislative Assembly.

Following the complaint, the Governor constituted an inquiry headed by the then Lawngtlai district deputy commissioner.

During that time, all the accused were elected members of the CADC. Based on the inquiry report, an FIR was submitted to the state Anti-Corruption Bureau in 2018.