Imphal, Dec. 18: Manipur?s former tribal development minister Ngamthang Haokip said there were political ?machinations? behind allegations by a Kuki rebel outfit, that Rs 4 crore had been misappropriated from the tribal development fund during his tenure.

The militant United Kuki Liberation Front (UKLF) of Manipur alleged that out of the Rs 5 crore sanctioned by the Centre for the development of tribals under a housing scheme during 2002-04, Rs 4 crore was misappropriated when Haokip was the minister in charge of the department.

The outfit also accused four officials of the department, including director B.B. Sharma, of being involved in the embezzlement.

?The allegation is a politically motivated one. Some political leaders who wanted to defame me made up the charges keeping in mind the forthcoming reshuffle of the Secular Progressive Front ministry. The charges are baseless and unfounded,? Haokip, who now holds the forest and science and technology portfolio, said.

After the resignation of Assembly Speaker T.N. Haokip and the appointment of works and information minister Gaikhangam as the president of the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee, a reshuffle is due in the ministry. ?My political opponents are behind the move,? Haokip said, claiming that the motive behind the allegation was to have him dropped from the ministry.

The minister clarified that during his tenure as the tribal development minister, only Rs 2.5 crore had been sanctioned in two instalments for procuring corrugated iron sheets. The sheets, which were procured directly from the Steel Authority of India, were distributed in six lots each among the beneficiaries.

All this was on record, the minister said, stressing that no complaints were received from any quarters at that time.

Last week, the Kuki group released the deputy director of the department, whom it had abducted, allegedly for questioning. It claimed that during interrogation, the official had confessed to siphoning off the tribal development funds.

The rebels also asked Haokip and three other officials of the department to surrender to them, warning them of dire consequences if they did not comply with the outfit?s wishes.

Haokip said that if the official, who was in the outfit?s custody had said anything about misappropriating funds, he may have done so under duress.

Before the minister stated his reactions, the director of the department also denied the charges.