The Special Judge (PC Act), Imphal East on Friday remanded three individuals, including a ward member and a rifleman, of Sawombung GP, Imphal East to judicial custody for 15 days.
They were arrested on April 27 by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Police for allegedly creating bogus and multiple job cards and opening bank accounts of job card holders without the knowledge of job card holders in respect of MGNREGA related works.
The ward member of Sawombung Village No. 1 is identified as Koijam Sundar, 50, son of (L) K Ibocha of Sawombung College Gate.
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The rifleman of Manipur police posted at MPTC is identified as Laishram Meeteingamba, 36, son of L Shyam of Yourabung Khunou who is also the husband of the ward member of Sawombung Village No. 5, Laishram ongbi Sobita Leima.
The other person is identified as Kamei Gaidonchung, 45, son of K Monthaga of Sawombung Kabui Khunjao, the husband of ward member of Sawombung Village No. 2 Kamei Rajani Kabui.
Following the ending of their police remand, they were produced by the IO of the case before the court with a prayer to remand them to judicial custody for thorough interrogation as well as to ascertain the involvement of all other known and unknown officials and private persons for the ends of justice.
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As per the IO submission, at least seven bogus job cards were detected to have been created by Koijam Sundar while multiple job cards were also detected to have been created by Kamei Gaidonchung in collaboration with his wife and the then GRS Sawombung GP M Ramesh;16 multiple job cards were detected to have been created by Laishram Meeteingamba and his wife.
The bank accounts linked with the Job Cards were managed and operated by the accused persons and the wages amount credited in the bank accounts were utilized for their personal gain, it added.
“In view of the above facts and circumstances revealed during the course of the enquiry, a prima facie case for the commission of offences under PC Act was found on the part of various elected ward members, officials of the directorate of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj and other private persons,” the IO mentioned in the remand prayer.
The accused persons have admitted to the charges labelled against them, the IO said, adding that the accused persons had also disclosed that some of the bogus job cards are not physically maintained however, such bogus Job cards are included in the preparation of wage list and when the wages are released, they withdrew the amount by using bank loose cheques.
If they are released on bail, they may tamper evidence by influencing the other co-accused and crucial witnesses, the IO mentioned in the remand prayer.
