Mizoram court convicts Assam resident in MAMCO corruption case

The Assam resident was found guilt of swindling at least ₹1.33 crore from five contractors in Mizoram, Manipur and Assam by promising them contract works under state-owned Mizoram Agriculture Marketing Corporation Ltd

A special court in Mizoram’s Aizwal on Friday convicted an Assam resident for swindling at least ₹1.33 crore from five contractors in Mizoram, Manipur and Assam by promising them contract works under state-owned Mizoram Agriculture Marketing Corporation Ltd (MAMCO).

The court will annoucne the quantum of punishment on June 5. (Representative Image)

The convict, Mustaqur Rahman, a resident of Guwahati, was found guilty by a special court (Prevention of Corruption Act) judge HTC Lalrinchhana. The quantum of punishment will be announced on June 5.

His co- accused, Lalremthanga, the former managing director (MD) of MAMCO, was sentenced in November last year to five years of rigorous imprisonment with a fine of ₹5 lakh.

The total amount of money obtained by the two convicted persons is ₹268 lakh.

A report on malpractices and impropriety among a section of employees in MAMCO was received from Zothankhuma, MD, MAMCO, through Vigilance Department, on March 25, 2015.

An investigation conducted by the Anti Corruption Bureau revealed that MAMCO, which is originally an agricultural marketing organisation, had diversified its activities into the field of civil construction and entered into a contract with the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS) for empanelment as implementing agency for its School Project at Lunglei and Champhai in Mizoram, Udalguri in Assam and Ukhrul in Manipur.

Under the terms of the agreement between MAMCO and KVS on September 26, 2012, MAMCO would receive 7% as service charges over the actual cost of work.