CBI Breather For Tainted Assam Ministers

Shillong, Aug 8 : Asserting that the investigation into the alleged diversion of funds in Assam's North Cachar district was progressing well, the CBI on Friday denied reports that it was planning to interrogate 11 people, including some ministers.

Talking to TOI here, CBI Shillong DIG H Nongpluh, who is heading the probe, said, "The investigation is progressing well. But there is no truth in the reports that we are planning to question 11 people including some Assam ministers."

Five officers of the investigating agency are camping in the district headquarter town of Haflong to initiate the probe. At present, they are scrutinizing files and other pertinent documents relating to the allegations, a CBI official here said.

Sources said it might take some time before the central investigating agency goes ahead with the questioning of the accused, while the entire investigation is likely to take about a year's time.

The CBI had taken up the alleged siphoning off of about Rs 1,000 crore meant for the development of the NC Hills Autonomous Council to DHD (J) militants after the National Investigating Agency (NIA) detected some financial anomalies while investigating the nexus between officials, politicians and militants in the district.

The NIA has so far named 30 people in its FIR, which said there were financial anomalies to the tune of Rs 32 crore in five departments PWD, PHE, agriculture, soil conservation and social welfare of the council. The CBI had earlier recovered over Rs 13 crore from a residence in Guwahati, allegedly siphoned off from the council's coffer.

In the meantime, sources claimed that R H Khan, deputy director in the social welfare department and under judicial custody in a case being investigated by NIA, had hidden the money in his brother-in-law Ahmed Hussain's house after being siphoned off from the NC Hills Autonomous Council. Hussain was a junior engineer in the council.

Earlier, The prime accused in the funds diversion from the NC Hills Autonomous Council to militant outfit, self-styled commander-in-chief of DHD(J) Niranjan Hojai had refused to be put to narco test by the NIA.

The militant leader had said the embezzlement of development funds of the autonomous council be probed by the CBI. "Let the investigation be done by the CBI," he had said.

Hojai had gone missing from the designated camp where he was lodged after surrendering last year. Recently, NIA caught him somewhere near the Nepal border.