Dimapur, July 20 (EMN): Against Corruption and Unabated Taxation (ACAUT) has filed an FIR against the Rural Development (RD) officials of Medziphema Block on April 25 for what it alleged as illegally obtaining blank cheques from the Medziphema Village Council (MVC) basing upon the press release of the MVC dated March 24, 2017.
“On various occasions, RD Department had asked VDB Secretary and Village Council Chairman to sign blank cheques meant for department mobilisation works. As there is no clarity on what mobilisation works were undertaken by the RD department as nothing concrete works was seen by the village, hence Medziphema Village have unanimously resolved that henceforth Medziphema VDB Secretary and Chairman of Medziphema Village Council will not issue any blank cheque to RD department,” ACAUT statement said.
The press release also stated that the MVC had a general meeting on March 18 and declared that henceforth no blank cheques will be issued by the MVC.
ACAUT expressed displeasure that Medziphema Police Station had not filed an FIR even after lapse of almost three months.
It may be mentioned that the Chumoukedima Area GBs’ Association (CAGBA) had alleged that “80% of MGNREGA funds were deducted as Convergence Fund by Rural Development Department officials of Chumoukedima Block.”
The Officer In-Charge, of Medziphema Police Station, in a telephonic conversation with an ACAUT member, admitted that in his preliminary inquiry both the RDD officials and the Village council members have admitted to obtaining and giving out blank checks respectively and secondly, both the parties again admitted that such has been the common practice for many years. Therefore, it is rather astonishing to see the reluctance on the part of Medziphema police to discharge their duties when malpractice and misappropriation has been established, the statement said.
ACAUT, therefore, has questioned both the Police Commissioner and the DGP why the same offence should be interpreted differently when the cause and the effect is the same for both cases? How do the police authorities justify allowing registration of FIR in the Chumoukedima case but refusing registration in the Medziphema case?
The ACAUT concluded that the law has been selectively and arbitrarily interpreted. It urged the police authorities to enlighten the general public regarding the two cases and also highlight SC verdicts in cases where the police refuse to register FIR.
