EMN
DIMAPUR, DECEMBER 5
Sleuths of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Police Station have raided the two residences of State Agriculture minister Dr Benjongliba Aier in the wee hours of Friday in Kohima and have registered a suo moto criminal case against the minister. The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Police said its act was based on the media reports against Dr. N. Benjongliba Aier, former Director Horticulture and Mission Director, Horticulture Technology Mission.
The case was registered after scrutiny of documents made available which point to the alleged involvement in the misappropriation and misutilization of funds under the Horticulture Technology Mission pertaining to the period 2008-2009 to 2012-2013.
Simultaneous search was conducted at both his residences in Kohima to collect more material evidences. The materials which have been seized during the search operations are under scrutiny.
According to sources, Dr. Benjongliba Aier has not been arrested as he is ‘expected’ to co-operate with the investigations.
The raid was carried out under the supervision of Oponlumi, Addl. S.P Vigilance and other members of the Vigilance Team with the security cover provided by the S.P Kohima.
According to the reports, the raids started from 4 am and continued till 11 am.
Our Principal Correspondent adds from Kohima: A team of State Vigilance Department raided the residence of Minister for Agriculture, Dr. Benjongliba Aier at Old Ministers’ Hill here today.
However, the Minister has not been arrested as he has taken anticipatory bail.
Sources confirmed that the raid was in connection with the scam in operating a bank account of the Mission Director (Horticulture Mission - NE) even after remitting his office in 2012.
It is pertinent to mention that Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Tokheho Yepthomi had recently disclosed that state assembly elections of Nagaland was announced on January 11, 2013 and the Model Code of Conduct came into force with immediate effect then. But the retired director, Dr. Benjongliba filed his nomination on February 4, 2013. Yet, he had continued to operate the so-called Department Bank A/C 910010016607364 and withdrew Rs 60,00,000 in cash by self cheque on three occasions while the Code of Conduct was being enforced.
Tokheho Yepthomi alleged that the embezzlement of money by Dr Benjongliba was to the tune of crores of rupees. The CLP leader further said that such imputation of misconduct, misuse of power and mismanagement based on various documentary evidence(s) merits serious investigation into the corrupt activities of the then Mission Director (HTM-NE) and Director, Horticulture.
Dr Benjongliba is liable to be charged for holding office of profit, embezzlement of government funds and serious breach of election laws amounting to corrupt practices, the Congress leader added.
Tokheho while maintaining that Dr. Benjongliba’s continuance in the council of ministers is an insult to the very essence, ideal and ethics of democracy. Tokheho has demanded that the minister should step down immediately since he has abused his prior position as a high ranking bureaucrat to embezzle crores of rupees to contest the assembly elections.
“The presence of such tainted ministers in the government only paints a bleak, grim picture for the Nagas and all the right thinking citizens concerned for our future generations should rise up to the occasion and demand his resignation to facilitate a thorough, impartial probe in the interest of justice and a corruption-free Nagaland,” Tokheho stated.
