Grand bungalows of Ministers in Mizoram attract Corruption Watchdog

Aizawl, Jun 3 : Due to the FIR filed recently by the Mizoram corruption watchdog, People's Right to Information and Development Implementing Society of Mizoram (PRISM) to Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) against Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla and his ministers, Parliamentary Secretaries and MLAs on ground of discrepancy in accumulation and construction of their own residential buildings and to investigate over it, the accused ministers and MLAs said they now want to resort to filing defamation case against the PRISM, according to the media cell of Mizoram Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) .

"After having done verification over the accusations made by PRISM against the MLAs, we found that the accusations are false and unfounded," the MPCC stated, adding, "We are very much afraid that these out-of-the-way accusations hurled at the MLAs may downgrade even their already secured good names.

The possible reason, we supposed, for PRISM doing like this is because they want to contest in the assembly elections.

We therefore, supposed that they (PRISM) feel the good MLAs as a hindrance in their plan for the same and so tried to defame them", the MPCC said.

It can be noted here that this is not the only case where PRISM had exposed the corrupt practices in Mizoram.

On August 18 last year, the Anti Corruption Bureau (ACb) had arrested PWD Engineer-in-Chief, Lianchungnunga, former Engineer-in-Chief Liansanga and PWD Accountant B Thanpuia on the charges of misappropriation of funds for the Serkhan-Bagha Road surfacing, thanks to the PRISM exposure.

Political parties including Mizoram state unit of BJP, Mizoram National Front (MNF), Mizo Peoples Convention (MPC), Mizoram Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC), PC and Zoram National Party (ZNP) along with NGOs such as AMFU, AMIS, CITUM, FOMTU, GDN, HR&LN, HZP, MBCS, MCDC, MMS, MRTU, MUP, MSU, MZP, PRISM, SOSA and TZP rallied behind PRISM in the case.

The Anti Corruption Bureau had arrested the three officials- Lianchungnunga s/o Hranga (L) Chaltlang Dawrkawn, Liansanga s/o Suakkunga (L), Khatla and B Thanpuia s/o B Lalnghaka (L), Upper Republic following the FIR lodged against them for their alleged involvement in corruption in connection with the work of Serkhan-Bagha Road construction.

ACB had arrested the three PWD officials through the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Lianchungnunga was arrested while he was at his office, Liansanga at his residence, and B Lalthanpuia while on his building construction work.

After receiving an FIR in 2009 against the three PWD officials, the Anti Corruption Bureau had carried out investigations after which they came to arrest the three accused PWD officials last month.

It can be noted here that the BRTF had earlier worked for the 75 km.

Serkhan-Bagha construction and after blacktopping was done, it was handed over to Mizoram PWD in 2004 .

Then, the PWD received Rs.6, 00, 50,000 during 2006-09 from the 12th Finance Commission, Rs.1,00,86,000 from Mizoram Plan Fund during 2004-07, Rs.30,00,000 from NEC in March 14, 2006 and again Rs.45,00,000 on September 21, 2006 .