PWD Engineer Arrested in Trans-Arunachal Highway Compensation Scam

Our Correspondent

Itanagar: The Arunachal Pradesh Police Special Investigation Cell (SIC) probing the multi-crore Trans-Arunachal Highway (TAH) land compensation scam, has arrested one more PWD engineer for his alleged involvement in the scam.

“We have arrested PWD Yazali sub-division assistant engineer (AE) Toko Taje on late Wednesday evening based on the evidence of his role in assessment of properties for compensation in the Yachuli sector,” SIC SP Harsha Vardhan informed. Vardhan, who is heading the probe, said that the arrest was made as part of the ongoing investigation into the TAH scam relating to disbursement of compensation for construction of the 157.7-km Bopi-Potin stretch of the ambitious road project.

Without divulging further details into the latest development, he said, “We are taking action based on whatever evidences are emerging during investigation.”

With this arrest, the total arrest made so far in Bopi-Potin road scam rose to two. Earlier, PWD junior engineer (JE) Kabak Bath was arrested on June 28 under Prevention of Corruption Act.

Two separate cases were registered in the TAH compensation scam, including the one for Potin-Bopi road and another for the Joram-Koloriang stretch where three persons including the then Lower Subansiri DC, then district land record settlement officer (DLRSO) and a private individual were arrested in July 2018.

To a query whether the SIC was catching the ‘small fishes’ overlooking the ‘big’ ones, the SP said, “Basically, investigation is a gradual process. We take up action only when evidences are acquired (against accused persons) which are to be justified before the court of law.”

“We cannot act on perceptions. Whatever evidences coming before us, based on that evidences, we will take further actions,” he added.

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