More than a year after RTI activists were forced to flee for seeking information on the utilisation of Central funds by the Autonomous District Council (ADC) of Senapati district, beneficiaries in another Manipur district are allegedly being threatened for demanding details on how the money for developmental projects has been spent.
The work agencies and beneficiaries of projects sanctioned under the ADC of Tamenglong district have accused the council’s former Chief Executive Officer Dinganglung Gangmei and Chairman Namsinrei Panmei of misusing ₹1,802.28 crore received under the 14th Finance Commission of 2017-18.
Work agencies are locals chosen by the ADC for executing a range of developmental projects.
A statement issued by the work agencies and beneficiaries of Kambiron and Lungkao villages demanded the punishment of the two officials for embezzlement. “The public has lost trust in such public servants/civil servants who do not hesitate to commit the act of gross misappropriation and cheating the innocent work agencies and beneficiaries,” it said.
The statement clarified that the work agencies were “not a party to the signatories of any document related to the issuing of work order, check slip or withdrawal of money from their bank accounts”.
The work agencies and beneficiaries said the authority concerned should be wary of the accused destroying evidence between the period of inquiry and their summoning by the Lokayukta.
They also alleged that the former CEO had been threatening the locals with “severe consequences” if they did not withdraw their complaint to the Lokayukta.
Mr. Gangmei and Mr. Panmei could not be contacted but an associate in the ADC said the charges against them were baseless.
Extremist groups in Manipur have had a history of taking away the lion’s share of development funds allegedly in collusion with officials and contractors. They did not even spare funds for combating HIV/AIDS more than a decade ago.
