Central Govt Advises Assam: Get CBI to Probe NC Hills Scam

By Manoj Anand

Guwahati, Feb 22 : The Centre is learnt to have advised the Assam government to ask the Central Bureau of Investigation to probe the multi-crore scam in North Cachar Hills district after the National Investigation Agency found evidence of massive misappropriation of Central funds by a politician-bureaucrat nexus in the region.

The Union home ministry is understood to have written to Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi on the matter, Union home secretary G.K. Pillai confirmed on Sunday.

Home ministry sources also told this newspaper that the Centre was planning to amend the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution to ensure financial discipline and decentralize governance in the autonomous district councils in the Northeast. There will now be a provision for village councils in the autonomous council areas too.

The Centre’s direction has come as a setback to Mr. Gogoi, who on Friday had ruled out such a CBI probe.

The alleged North Cachar Hills scam has led to a political storm in Assam, with the Opposition demanding the Congress-led government’s resignation, accusing the chief minister of defending ministers suspected to be involved.

A nexus of politicians and bureaucrats are alleged to have swindled Rs 1,000 crores in Central funds intended for the district’s development.