Itanagar: The special investigation cell (Vigilance) of the Arunachal Pradesh Police has completed its investigation into the infamous “land mafia scam” in Anjaw district bordering China, and is now awaiting “sanctions of prosecution” from the authority concerned.
Speaking to NewsFy, SIC superintendent of police Hemant Tiwari said the police have completed its investigation into the high-profile case and the request for sanctions to prosecute the accused(s) is now pending with the competent authority.
“A chargesheet will be filed once the sanctions for prosecution are approved against accused(s),” Tiwari said.
The sanction for prosecution of a public servant is accorded as per provisions of Section-19(1)(b) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and Sanction 197 (1) (b) of the CrPC in respect of offences under the PC Act and the IPC respectively.
A land compensation controversy that reportedly took place between 2017 and 2019 had stalled the construction of an ambitious 9.5-km road project connecting remote Chaglagam village to Rocham in Anjaw near the Indo-China border.
The project was sanctioned by the Union defence ministry in 2014.
The high-profile scam that apparently had all the elements necessary to put the country’s national security under threat had come to light in November 2019 following media reports.
Accordingly, the SIC had in May last year arrested Sode Potom, the then additional deputy commissioner (ADC) of Anjaw and one Choliangso Kora, a resident of Tezu in connection with the land compensation scam.
According to the land owners, the full compensation money sanctioned for the project had not reached them following an alleged “signature campaign” run by some vested individuals to gain power of attorney from the beneficiaries.
Whereas Kora’s name and those of a few others were also highlighted by the villagers as being a part of the alleged signature campaign, Potom’s name had cropped up after the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) transferred the compensation amount into the ADC’s account.
Out of the total amount of Rs 24 crore sanctioned by the Union defence ministry, only Rs 2.21 crore was allegedly paid to the beneficiaries.
According to experts, the police need a prosecution sanction to take corruption cases to its logical conclusion.
A delay in the sanction of prosecution benefits the public servants at times as they normally apply for a bail and sometimes even get reinstated.
