The youth wing of the Opposition Congress on Saturday demanded that the Mizoram government institute a probe against a civil aviation official and dismiss him from his post for allegedly stashing public money in his private bank account.
A statement, issued by the Congress youth wing, alleged that J. Lalhmingliana, principal consultant in the civil aviation wing of the general administration department, had hoarded over Rs 1 crore in his account.
The statement alleged that Lalhmingliana had deposited over Rs 16.72 lakh, received as fees for a firm for chartering their helicopters, and another Rs 39.7 lakh, received from a consultancy firm, in his personal account on April 9 last year. He again deposited Rs 45.35 lakh, received from the consultancy firm, and another Rs 1.2 lakh from an MLA as chartering fee on April 10. Thus, the total amount Lalhmingliana deposited in his account was Rs 1.02 crore, the statement said.
The Congress youth wing alleged that stashing public money in private account by an official is a serious matter as it contravenes financial rules and exposes outright corruption. “We urge the government to initiate a probe into the case, slap corruption charges against the official and sack him from his post at the earliest,” the statement, signed by Congress youth information and publicity secretary Ngurdingpuia Pachuau, said.
On April 26 last year, the Congress youth wing had filed a complaint with state Lokayukta chairman following which the corruption ombudsman on May 4 had instructed the state’s anti-corruption bureau to initiate a preliminary probe against Lalhmingliana.
The bureau was asked to submit its report within a month.
The Congress youth wing also submitted a separate complaint to chief minister Zoramthanga on that day, asking him to look into the matter.
Congress youth wing president Lalmalsawma Nghaka said nothing was known about the probe’s progress even eight months after the complaint was filed.
Nghaka questioned the government order which accords Lalhmingliana, who holds the post of principal consultant of the civil aviation wing, the right to exercise powers akin to the head of the department.
He said the order contravenes legal and financial rules as civil aviation is only one of the many wings under the general administration department, which is headed by the state secretary.