Nagaland Lokayukta sanctions prosecution of 2 retired IAS officers; chargesheet filed

The Lokayukta had granted prosecution sanction on August 4 against former agriculture production commissioner and chairman of Small Farmers Agri-business Consortium-Nagaland (SFAC-N) and the former managing director (MD) of SFAC-N, as per Section 26 of Nagaland Lokayukta Act, 2017.

Updated on: Aug 14, 2020, 18:00:29 IST

Hindustan Times, Guwahati | By Utpal Parashar

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Nagaland Lokayukta Justice Uma Nath Singh has granted prosecution sanction against two retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers in the north-eastern state for allegedly issuing work order for a project without technical approval and hurriedly releasing funds within only four days even though there was no urgency in the disbursement of the government money.

Based on the charges established against the officials and the contractor, a charge sheet was submitted to the Lokayukta for grant of prosecution sanction against the two retired IAS officers. (HT file photo for representation)

The Lokayukta had granted prosecution sanction on August 4 against former agriculture production commissioner and chairman of Small Farmers Agri-business Consortium-Nagaland (SFAC-N) and the former managing director (MD) of SFAC-N, as per Section 26 of Nagaland Lokayukta Act, 2017.

According to a release issued by the state’s information and public relations (IPR) department, the charge sheet against the two unnamed officers was submitted to the district and session judge & special judge, Nagaland, Lokayukta, on Thursday to proceed with the formal trial.

A case was registered with the Lokayukta in October 2018 against the officers for issuing work order for a project related to post-harvest management of horticulture crops in Dimapur, Peren, Phek, Mokokchung, Wokha, and Phek districts in Nagaland to a contractor without any technical approval.

“The total amount of the project was ₹717.90 lakh and an amount of ₹241.30 lakh was released as the first installment. The payment was released to the contractor within four days after the work order was issued, when there was no urgency or justification for it,” the release stated.

It added that the project was implemented in private lands instead of the horticulture department’s own land.

Based on the charges established against the officials and the contractor, a charge sheet was submitted to the Lokayukta for grant of prosecution sanction against the two retired IAS officers.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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