Morcha demands high-powered probe

Gurung: For CBI inquiry

Darjeeling, March 17: The Gorkha Janmukti Morcha has demanded that a high powered commission be set up to investigate “cases of corruption” in the DGHC during Subash Ghisingh’s tenure as chairman and caretaker administrator.

In a letter addressed to Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, the Morcha said the commission must be headed by a high court judge.

“It is likely that a thorough investigation into cases of corruption will reveal siphoning of hundreds of crores of rupees from the exchequer,” said Bimal Gurung, the president of the Morcha. He added that the party might also approach the Prime Minister and the home minister for a CBI inquiry.

The Morcha chief said immediate orders should be issued for “freezing and sealing” all records and accounts that may be of relevance to the inquiry.

The demand follows close on the heels of the recovery of more than 150 files from the residences of former council officers. Police had, after complaints from the Morcha, raided the houses to seize the files.

The district police chief, however, had showcaused the inspector-in-charge of Sadar police station for conducting searches without warrants.

The Morcha today filed a petition before the court of the chief judicial magistrate seeking an inquiry into the content of the files.

Amar Lama, the lawyer who filed the petition, said: “Under 156 (3) of the CrPc, the court can direct the police through a magistrate to start an inquiry into the files that were recovered. The hearing of the petition will take place after a week.” The files are in the custody of the Darjeeling police.

Gurung has also asked Pranay Rai and Gaulan Lepcha, the MLAs of Darjeeling and Kalimpong, to resign from their posts and join the Morcha. “They must resign for the sake of Gorkhaland. Only raising voices (in the Assembly) is not enough,” said Gurung.

Both Rai and Lepcha have resigned from the GNLF and formed a group called GNLF (Rebels).