Ex Cong legislator granted bail

FROM A CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG, Feb 6: Former Congress legislator from Umroi, Stanlywiss Rymbai on Monday was granted bail in connection with the multi-crore land scam in Ri Bhoi. The bail was granted by the Court of District and Sessions Judge.

Soon after his release on bail, Rymbai who was lodged in the jail cell of the Shillong Civil Hospital was shifted into a regular room in the same hospital. According to reports, Rymbai is suffering from thyroid, high blood pressure and hypertension.

Meanwhile, speaking to reporters the counsel for Rymbai, VGK Kynta slammed the police department for their sudden interest in the case.

According to Kynta the case first surfaced in the latter part of 2012, but Rymbai was arrested only in January 25 this year.

The Counsel for Rymbai also termed that his client’s arrest was illegal. “On January 25, he (Rymbai) was in the custody of the police but they did not inform him or his family members that he has been arrested,” Kynta alleged.

Kynta also said that Rymbai’s arrest was a human rights violation by the police even as he added that his family members were not allowed to meet him since his arrest on January 25.

He said that the family of Rymbai petitioned the Court on January 31 to allow them to meet Rymbai and only after the Court gave permission they were allowed to do so.

Kynta also alleged that the former Congress legislator from Umroi was interrogated despite being in judicial custody.

According to Rymbai’s Counsel, in 2011 the government had estimated the cost of the land to be over Rs 15 crore.

However, the government decided to give Rs 10 crore with installment of 80 percent (Rs 8 crore) first and the remaining at a later stage.

The role of Rymbai was to act as a power of attorney and hand over Rs 8 crore to the villagers.

Kynta said after the remaining amount of Rs 2 crore was not paid, the Dorbar filed a writ petition in the High Court.

It may be mentioned that the village Dorbar of Umsaw Khwan, which is the owner of the village forest known as Mawpalai plantation, had given the area to the Soil and Water Conservation Department of the erstwhile Assam government.