New Delhi, Jul 21 : A senior Assam Congress leader and an IAS officer have reportedly colluded with militants in the massive Rs 1000 crore scam in North Cachar Hills. Money was siphoned off from Central funds allotted to North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council with the National Investigative Agency saying the scam could be funding terror.
Central Bureau of Investigation has unearthed huge amount of money while zeroing in on the North Cachar Hills scam. But CNN-IBN has clinching evidence that at least one Congress leader from Assam and an IAS officer were involved in the alleged siphoning of money from the Rs 1,000 crore Central development funds over the past five years.
The North Cachar Hills Council members were channelling the money to terror groups such as the Dima Halan Daogah and its leader Jewel Garlosa.
The Congressman suspected to be involved in the scam is the all powerful chief executive member of North Cachar Hills - Depolal Hojai. Hojai defected to the Congress in December 2008 ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
A letter written by Hojai clearly shows how the Congress leader ordered the release of at least Rs 8 crore to contractors for road construction, ignoring all tendering norms. His party chief andAssam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi defends him, saying there is no evidence to link his party or him to the scam.
"The allegation is there. Let them prove it. NIA has never said it. If charges are proved, I will not only quit chief ministership, I will quit politics," says Gogoi.
Surprisingly Hojai's name does not figure in the FIRs given to the CBI by the Assam government. The NIA says it has evidence of Hojai's disproportionate assets. The FIRs also fail to mention senior IAS officer Anil Kumar Baruah, then deputy commissioner of North CacharHills.
Another letter orders the release of Rs 18.5 crore to the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council without giving a reason. The Union Home Ministry has got the Comptroller and Auditor General to audit the North CacharHills accounts.
"I have written to the CAG. He's asked AG Assam to audit NC Hill accounts. Hundreds of crores have been appropriated. I Hope the NIA, CBI get to the bottom of this scam," says Union Home Secretary GK Pillai.
Even as Gogoi says his government and party are clean, the question being asked is why then has only some of the FIRs in the scam are been handed over to the CBI. Is it as the NIA suggests that the case could have wider political ramifications?
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