NEC Scheme Scam: CBI Files Chargesheet Against 5

New Delhi, Aug 6 : CBI has filed a chargesheet against five people, including a former officer of the Indian Railway Accounts Service, for their alleged involvement in a multi-crore fraud in North Eastern Council (NEC) -- an apex body for development of north-eastern state -- scheme.

The chargesheet, which was filed at the Special CBI Court in Shillong, has named U N Majhi, a civil servant and former financial adviser, R P Kharpuri, a former director of science & technology and A D Kharshing, extension officer (seismology), as the main accused.

Peter Thorose, the principal of St Peter's College, Shillong, and his deputy D D Syiem are the other two named in the chargesheet.

"The chargesheet was filed against five people for irregularities inimplementation of a scheme -- holistic cluster approaches at grassroots level for sustainable development in the north-eastern region," said a CBI spokesperson.

"The scheme was funded by the science & technology Sector of NEC, at a totalestimated cost of Rs 4.98 crore, which was to be implemented by St Peter's College in 2004-05 and completed in 2006-07. Of the estimated cost of Rs 4.98 crore, NEC had released Rs 2.67 crore in three installments -- of Rs 47 lakh, Rs 20 lakh and Rs 2 crore, respectively -- to St Peter's College in 2004-05 and 2005-06 for implementation of the scheme in five villages of Meghalaya, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh," claimed the official.

During the course of the investigation, CBI found that the accused NEC officials did not conduct proper evaluation of the scheme that was submitted by St Peter's College while granting administrative approval and sanction. Besides, various rules and guidelines were grossly violated during the implementation of the scheme.

Of the Rs 2.67 crore released to St Peter's College, Rs 35 lakh was transferred to Meghalaya Environment and Wild Life Society, where Thorose is the secretary and Syiem is treasurer. Thorose had allegedly submitted a forged land document to show purchase of a plot worth Rs 1 crore. CBI officials claimed the accused submitted fake bills for equipment that were never bought in the first place.

The five have been chargesheeted under cheating, forgery, crimnal conspiracy and various sections of Prevention of Corruption act.