CID to submit land scam report by Feb

By Our Reporter

SHILLONG, JAN 4: The state assembly’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman Paul Lyngdoh informed that the CID will be submitting its final report on the investigation into Ri Bhoi district’s Mawpalai afforestation area scam by the end of next month.

“They (police) have assured us that they would complete the entire investigation and submit the final report by the end of February,” PAC chairman Paul Lyngdoh told reporters after the PAC meeting on Wednesday.

During the PAC sitting, CID officials submitted its fourth monthly progress report before the PAC.

The PAC had directed the police to submit a monthly progress report to accelerate the investigation process into the scam.

According to Lyngdoh, there has been substantial progress in the report submitted before the committee today which includes recording and examining of the statements made by individuals.

The investigation by the CID started way back in November 2012 but it had not made any headway till 2016  but after the PAC intervention things started moving forward.

Earlier keeping in view that the issue was also pending before the court, PAC had directed the Forest & Environment department to pursue the matter rigorously in the High Court to facilitate reclaiming of the land and recovery of the Rs 8 crore that was paid.

The forest department had released Rs 8 crore in favour of former Congress Umroi MLA SW Rymbai for acquiring the land at Mawpalai afforestation area measuring 1.78 sq km.