EMN
Mokokchung, February 26
The pace of investigation into the public distribution supply scam in Mokokchung town by the government authorities of Mokokchung district has been criticized by a local youth organization. The Mokokchung Town Lanur Telongjem (MTLT) on Friday, February 26, has expressed ‘deep concern’ at what it called “the lack of progress of the PDS scam” that was unearthed in the month of February.
Beside other startling details, the organization has stated that the Additional Director of Supplies (ADS) of Mokokchung would often directed a fair price shop to disburse the PDS rice to “those who seek the rice carrying ‘VIP chit’”
The MTLT said to have faith in the law-enforcing authorities and the district administration, and had “waited patiently for the law to take its own course of action.” The youth have demanded that the district administration divulge the full report of the enquiry committee at the earliest and prosecute those involved.
The youths have cautioned that if the authority fails to meet the demands for prosecution of the guilty, the MTLT would have no option but to take our own course of action at will.
“However, even after a lapse of nearly a month, there is no clear-cut progress of the investigation process. As per the report that appeared in the local dailies on 12 February 2016, the deputy commissioner, Mokokchung, said that ‘three persons were apprehended while another person was absconding,’” a press release from the organization said on Friday.
According to the group, the Food & Civil Supplies secretary T Kehito Sema had stated on February 14 that “if any official(s) or staff or PFS(s) is found guilty,” the department would take appropriate action.
The organization questioned why the fourth person involved in the case, said to be a store-keeper in the Food and Civil Supplies department, and identified as one Supongnungsang, is yet to be arrested. “The MTLT wants to know whether the service of Mr Supongnungsang stands suspended or not, for the sake of unbiased investigation into the whole scam,” the organization stated.
Secondly, the press release stated, the public of Mokokchung are still awaiting the report of the inquiry committee set up by the deputy commissioner of the district.
The Mokokchung deputy commissioner is also said to have informed that the ‘inquiry committee’ formed to investigate the scam had submitted its report which was published in the local dailies on February 12 edition of the local media.
“The DC also stated that the inquiry committee ‘has included its findings and suggestion in the report’. However, the public is still in the dark about the full report of the enquiry committee, its findings and recommendations. Therefore, the MTLT demands the district administration to divulge the full report of the enquiry committee at the earliest.”
The organization revisited the initial turn of events following the discovery of the racket: “As per the ‘suo-moto complaint’ case number - PS-I case No 003/16 u/s 7 EC Act 12/w 482/483/486/PC – registered on January 31, 2016, the raiding team found 123 FCI empty rice-bags and around 520 rice bags of ‘Swastik brand’ inside the Dukan Dukan store (Tongdentsuyong ward) and 35 number of empty ‘Swastik brand’ inside the Brijmohan’s store (Arkong ward).
The police in the complaint are said to have stated that “during enquiry it was found that FCI rice is diverted to the open market for sale under the brand name ‘Swastik Brand’ and it was also found that they were using rice bag stitching machine to pack the rice in ‘Swastik Brand’ rice bag.”
“With all the details at hand, what makes the authority stop in expediting this serious case? It must be understood that public patience is reaching its limit. The MTLT cannot help but wonder why the police or the concerned authority is taking so long to indict those people who are named in the police complaint,” the press release stated.
The MTLT has made it clear that the scam should be investigated thoroughly, and the guilty punished and rectifications made so that corruption is checked.
Another shocking matter the organization stated was that the “Additional Director of Supplies (ADS) of Mokokchung would often direct Moachiba’s Fair Price Shop to disburse the PDS rice to those who seek the rice carrying ‘VIP chit’.”
“Therefore, the MTLT demands to know why the ADS, Mokokchung, directed people specifically to Mr Moachiba’s FPS whenever PDS rice issuance was requisitioned on ‘VIP chit.’ On what official grounds does the ADS dispense such ‘VIP chit’ distributions? The MTLT also questions how and why there was excess quantity of unaccounted PDS rice at Moachiba’s godown?”
The youth organization has demanded that the authorities in concern expedite the case and book those found guilty in the scam. The MTLT also demands the concerned authority to make known the steps taken with regard to this scam and the actions taken. “One month is time long enough,” th organization stated.
“It is cautioned that if the authority fails to meet our demands, then the MTLT would have no option but to take our own course of action at will; and in case of any eventuality that might arise out of our concerted actions, the responsibility would solely be held by the concerned authority,” the organization warned in its statement.
