Guwahati: The Chief Minister’s Vigilance Cell in Assam has registered a case against Rajya Sabha MP Ajit Bhuyan and 13 others for their alleged involvement in the Members of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) fund scam.
The case has been filed at the special judge’s court on charges of “corruption and malpractice.” The accused include high-ranking officials such as Additional Chief Secretary Sharmistha Bora and Hemanta Dutta, among others.
Earlier in March, four ACS level officers were suspended in connection with the case. The allegations relate to the misuse of funds allocated from the MPLAD fund of Bhuyan for the construction of a road in Barpeta.
It was found that the bill for the project was released before 75 percent of the work had been completed. The scam came to light after an investigation by the CM’s Special Vigilance Cell.
The probe revealed that the four suspended officers had signed the bill for the project before the work had been completed.
The MP Construction Fund Committee, chaired by the Additional Commissioner of Kamrup, Sukanya Bora, oversaw the allocation of the funds. The Rajya Sabha MP had allocated Rs 28 lakh from his MPLAD Fund for the construction of three roads in Barpeta.
However, the roads were not constructed, and fake bills were allegedly submitted to withdraw the allocated funds.
