Gauhati High Court stays trial against three contractors in Kohima High Court complex misappropriation case, issues CBI notice.
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DIMAPUR — The Kohima Bench of Gauhati High Court has stayed further proceedings before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Dimapur against three contractors in connection with alleged misappropriation of funds in the construction of the new high court complex in Kohima.
In three separate but similar criminal revision petitions, the court on Friday directed that further proceedings in the case pending before the trial court shall remain suspended till the next returnable date.
The petitions were filed by Thepfusatuo Rio, Mhalelie Rio and Vibeilietuo Kets, who have challenged the February 18, 2026 order of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Dimapur rejecting their discharge applications and framing charges against them under Sections 120B and 420 of the Indian Penal Code. They have also assailed the summon order issued for their appearance on April 13, 2026.
According to the order passed on Friday, the petitioners contended that the total value of the work order was INR 5,81,85,820 and that a major portion of the work had been completed.
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They submitted that the road encircling the high court building could not be completed at the relevant time due to ongoing construction of the main building and the dumping of construction materials at the site. A sum of INR 4,81,09,570 had been claimed and received.
They further contended that the completion certificate had not been issued by the engineer as the work had not been completed when the charge sheet was filed, and that the remaining work was completed thereafter.
The petitioners also submitted that engineers who were charge-sheeted along with them had not been granted prosecution sanction and that the charge sheet indicated that bills and corresponding entries in the measurement book were prepared by the accused engineers. It was also contended that while the charge sheet alleged excess payment, there was no allegation of sub-standard construction.
After hearing the matter, the court issued notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation, returnable in four weeks.
The matter arises from an FIR registered by the CBI’s Imphal Anti-Corruption Branch in June 2019 following directions of the Kohima Bench of Gauhati High Court in a suo motu PIL concerning alleged misappropriation of public funds and sub-standard construction of the new high court complex in Kohima.
Earlier, the Enforcement Directorate had also filed a charge sheet under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act in connection with the same project.