Shillong, Sept 29: Chaos ruled the Shillong District Jail Saturday, as the jail staff went on a strike accusing the Director General (Prison) Kulbir Kishan of abusing his power which was immediately refuted by the latter who instead claimed that the strike was called by the staff to hide their financial misdeeds that they committed as he had detected severe financial discrepancies in financial accounting of salaries.
Around 50 jail staffs that includes warders, officiating staffs and others staged their protest demanding immediate removal of Kishan alleging he has abused his powers by exploiting them and using some of the staff for personal purposes. One of the agitating staff M Dympep told reporters, “We have decided to cease-work till the DG is removed from his office.”
The agitating staff also claimed that one R Kumar was even given the authority by the DG to move in and out of the jail freely. Kumar even claimed himself to be a DSP and threatened stern actions against the staffs who defies his order, they complaint.
The accusation of the agitating jail staff was however rubbished by Kishan who said he was ready for any kind of ‘investigating’ against him even as he revealed that the real motive of the agitation was to hide the financial discrepancies committed by the jail staff which detected by his office.
Kishan claimed that the main reason that led the staffs to resort to strike was the fact that he had accused staffs of corrupt practicing while preparing the salary statements including that of the officiating staffs. He said the audit report of the AG conducted in June had somehow missed the financial irregularities.
Dympep also did deny the financial violation in the preparation of the salary statements of the staffs but justified saying that based on the request of the staffs, the jail superintendent and jailor had agreed to pay for 30 days instead of the 20 days allotted by the government to the officiating staffs. He said, “Increase in payment to 30 days were made against the financial rules and regulations but purely on “humanitarian ground”.”
Defending the financial irregularities, Dympep said, “We have expressed our inability that we cannot afford to run our family with just a meager of Rs 7000 to Rs 8000 but the DG has charged the staffs of misappropriation of funds.”
Kishan however said nobody can defy the financial rules and regulations of the government and the officiating staffs were given what was not entitled to them as per government rule. He presumed that the strike was instigated by some vested interests who are under the apprehension that actions would be taken against them for the irregularities that was detected.”
Kishan said inquiry into the financial irregularities is still going and said there is large scale of financial irregularities as there were cutting, overwriting, and tampering with white fluid on the salary bill and advice list which was sent to the Meghalaya Rural Bank by former jailor James D Marbaniang, LDA Michael Dympep and warder Jonathan Nongkynrih.”
Kishen said jailor James Marbaniang has been transferred from the jail and was replaced by F Wahlang.” He also revealed that two current accounts (which is against Meghalaya Financial Rules) were being maintained by the Superintendent of Shillong District Jail from which funds were being used for personal purpose.
Giving details of the irregularitie Kishen informed that cheque of Rs one lakh was drawn from Zero account of State Bank of India on February 13, 2012 and given by Superintendent RKM Sangma to jailor and another cheque of Rs 50, 000 was also drawn on the same day from zero account of Meghalaya Rural Bank by James D Marbaniang.
Kishen said no entry was made in the relevant register and the Superintendent has confirmed that the amount drawn were for personnel use and the money was deposited back only when the audit team came to check the accounts.”
Kishen revealed that jailor F Wahlang was also transferred to Tura after she allowed several prisoners to meet the arrested GNLA chief Champion R Sangma who was kept in High Security Ward (HSW). It is also alleged that Champion’s legal advisor paid a large sum of money to Wahlang. These funds were used not only to provide extra facilities to the under trial prisoner but also to influence other prisoners in the jail.”
Kishan also informed Champion R Sangma’s attempt to influence UTP, a UTP Shanborlang Wahlang who was produced in court on September 5 revealed to the judicial magistrate FS Sangma that he will be getting bail as the GNLA chief was willing to pay Rs 5000 to his advocate to get bail. According to him the magistrate summoned the PSI and asst Jailor TD Marak and enquired from them about what was happening in the district jail,
Kishen revealed as a result of this UTP Wahlang was assaulted inside the UTP van by AB Constable Swer who was part of the escort team.”
Kishen further revealed that on September 6, he visited the jail and the HSW and observed that one Poly Tangsang UTP was wearing new clothes and shoes that day.
Kishen said, “On inquiry I found that Tangsang’s two shirts, two trousers and a pair of sports shoes were purchased by the money supplied by lawyer of Champion to jailor Wahlang.” He said based on these, he had taken steps to tightened access control to the jail as the jail authority learnt from Fullmoon’s case (Jailbreak 2009) and do not want a repeat.-By Our Reporter
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