Dimapur, June 28 (EMN): A former government official has warned an RTI applicant – whose findings were published in the June 26 edition of Eastern Mirror – of the possibility of attracting ‘a criminal defamation suit’, while accusing him of making ‘wild’ and ‘unnecessary’ allegations.
On June 25 last, a citizen, ST Yapang had issued a copy of a letter addressed to the chief secretary of Nagaland and officials of the state PWD in which he had cited a RTI reply from deputy chief engineer of NPWD. According to the letter, the RTI response had revealed seven retired engineers to be using state-issued vehicles illegally.
On Wednesday, a former engineer-in-chief of the state PWD, Dr Er Vikuotuolie Angami issued a statement in response to the allegation. “The allegation was so wild and he did not know the exact position and the documents lying with the government and put up all unnecessary allegation and threatening the retired officers for approaching the court is very unfortunate and inviting serious problems which may put him in a very undesirable position.
“In fact, he should put up the condemnation of government vehicles to his family members if any and also the government vehicles which were condemned since from the state hood (1964) (sic) till 2017 (June) with correct with date of purchased (sic), date of registration, used by which officers etc. immediately with seven (7) days from the publication of this rejoinder and also apologize to the concerned (sic) officers (Retd) whose vehicle papers are found to be correct”, the statement read.
It also described the RTI applicant as ‘the most ignorant person as you never know about the pros and cons of the government vehicle condemnation process’. According to the retired engineer, this was an indication that the RTI applicant was conspiring with ‘some officers/persons to defame your own choice of people’.
“Your false statement given to the higher authority of the government will attract a criminal defamation suit against you as you considered yourself to be above the condemnation board constituted by the government”, the statement read.
