Agriculture scam: CM Vigilance Cell asked to submit status report

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, Sept 28: A division bench of the Gauhati High Court comprising Chief Justice (acting) K Sreedhar Rao and Justice PK Mishra has directed the Chief Minister’s Vigilance Cell, Assam to submit a status report of the inquiry initiated against the staff and officials of Assam State Agricultural Marketing Board (ASAMB) for their alleged misappropriation of revenue. The bench heard the PIL filed in this connection by Sudipta Goswami Konwar alleging large-scale evasion of cess as well as misappropriation of cess leviable under the Assam Agricultural Produce Market Act, 1972 during the past several years by traders in collusion with the officials of the Board.

An affidavit was filed by the board stating inter-alia that in this regard the CM’s Vigilance Cell has initiated an inquiry on the affairs of the Board. Senior advocate Bhaskar Dev Konwar drew attention of the Court that although documents have been annexed to show that an inquiry has been initiated but it appears that after January 8, 2013 there is nothing on record on the outcome of the said inquiry.