A year after filing an FIR with Special Investigation Cell (SIC), an exasperated complainant speaks to this daily on the slow progress of the said FIR and various aspects of the PIL case No: PIL 13/2019 related to Namchik-Namphuk Coalfields.

 

ES Reporter

ITANAGAR, Apr 16: After a year long wait, the Special Investigation Cell (SIC) is being alleged of inaction in the multi-crore embezzlement case pertaining to the Namchik-Namphuk Coal Fields.  As per the order passed by the Gauhati High Court, Itanagar Bench,  in the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) case no: PIL 13/2019 on January 5,2021, petitioner Kaku Potom lodged an FIR with Special Investigation Cell (SIC) on February 23, 2021  against several private individuals and government officials alleging gross mismanagement  resulting into embezzlement to the tune of several crores, misappropriation and siphoning of funds due to collusion of officials  at various levels and/ with contractors in Namchik-Nampuk Coal Fields.
 “The issues raised in the FIR have referred to verifiable facts and figures quoted from a preliminary investigation by the CBI and also from widely publicized media reports which has never been refuted ,”  informed litigant Kaku Potom, a law graduate from Banaras Hindu University (BHU) and LLM from NLSIU, Bengaluru.
Responding to a query from this daily, SP (SIC) Hemant Tiwari informed that the matter has been forwarded to the competent authority on March 28 last seeking approval for registration of regular case. “The preliminary enquiry was registered on September 28 last after obtaining approval on September 27 vide SIC Enquiry no 12/2021. On completion of enquiry, the matter has been forwarded to the competent authority on March 28 this year, seeking approval for registration of regular case,” said Tiwari. 
Further, Potom opined that allowing the mismanagement with impunity and  in connivance with the likes of Ratan Sharma of M/s Satyam Group and Sanjay Sharma of M/s NMCL for years  together indicate that certain  political  bosses are hand-in-glove in this daylight robbery of natural resources and the state exchequer. 
“There seems to be zero inclination to recover the losses or attempt to file money suit against defaulting business houses. This only point to the complicity of APMDTCL officials and politicians in power,” said Potom who has promised to furnish more documents to buttress his allegations.  
Besides the CBI, another national premier agency— Enforcement Directorate, too had acted against the concerned department but no officials were ever penalised for dereliction of duty, emphasised Potom while adding, Comptroller & Auditor General and Accountant General’s report and Additional Advocate General’s statements are in public domain.
“SIC should not be cherry picking. Expectation  is high to be swift and sharp in this case as much as SIC has shown in several other cases. Preliminary enquiry should have been an open and shut case given the volume of documents available in public domain,” added Potom.  

Brief background of the case

---

Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

<< Back to News List