Shillong: Meghalaya chief minister Mukul Sangma said law of the land would take its own course and people accused in the alleged teachers' appointment scam should know how to defend themselves.
The CBI has registered an FIR against labour minister Ampareen Lyngdoh (then education minister) and others in connection with their alleged interference in appointments of schoolteachers.
A case was also registered against additional chief secretary Parmarsan S. Thangkhiew who is looking after the home (civil defence and homeguards) department, besides the directorate of elementary and mass education, and unknown persons.
Thangkhiew was the principal secretary (education) when the teachers' recruitment was conducted during 2008-2009 in 15 centres across the state.
The case was registered on the order of Meghalaya High Court passed on November 2, 2017, that had directed the CBI to take over the investigation of Laitumkhrah police station relating to alleged mass manipulations, tampering in score sheets and interference in selections for the posts of assistant teachers in lower primary schools during 2008-2009.
The high court directed the CBI to conduct an inquiry into teachers' recruitments at another 10 centres and submit its report to the court within six months.
Earlier, the CBI conducted inquiry into teachers' recruitments only in five centres - Shillong, Jowai, Amlarem, Tura and Dadenggre - and unearthed grave anomalies in the selection process.
Stating that the law would take its own course, Mukul said the state government had also filed an appeal in Supreme Court against the November ruling of the high court and the matter has been fixed for hearing.
Asked if the CBI was like a "caged parrot", Mukul said, "There are instances which indicate that authorities in Delhi try to utilise agencies, not just the CBI but many others too."
Ampareen said until proven guilty "I am innocent."
"The judiciary of the country is a system which will protect the rights of all Indian citizens on equal footing and on equal ground. I will fight the case. I don't know what kind of a case it will turn out to be. I would not like to comment further," she added.
