HC orders CBI probe against Tuki

Aruchal CM under cloud on charges of favoring kith and kin with contract works when he was state PWD minister

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, Aug 21: The Gauhati High Court today directed the Central Bureau of Investigation to register a case and initiate investigation against the alleged misconduct of Aruchal Pradesh Chief Minister bam Tuki, for favours shown to his kith and kin when he was a state minister earlier.

Tuki faces charges of awarding many contract works to his kith and kin, including his wife, without following the norms and procedure.

A division bench of the court comprising of Chief Justice (Acting) K. Sreedhar Rao and Justice PK Saikia also directed the CBI to take up a case against the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan, New Delhi and the Director of States Sports Council, Government of Aruchal Pradesh, who have collaborated and abetted in committing the offence.

The CBI was also directed to take the case records and the documents of the case in their custody from the Registry of the High Court for purpose of investigation.

The order came on a PIL filed by one bam Tabam in 2010.

The PIL alleged that when bam Tuki was Minister of Public Works Department and Urban Development, he awarded contracts of several works to his family members, including his wife and sister-in-law.

"A Rs 3 crore contract for construction of low-cost housing for Safai Karmachari was awarded to M/S N.E. Agency in gross violation of norms and procedure. The agency is owned by bam Yani, wife of bam Tuki. bam Yani was further awarded another contract for construction of staff quarters for Rs 52 lakh," it stated.

The contract of house-keeping and catering service of the newly constructed Aruchal House at Delhi was awarded to M/s Jumsi Enterprise, owned by bam Aka, sister-in-law of bam Tuki. The construction/ raising boundary wall at Kendriya Vidyalaya at Salt Lake, Kolkata for Rs.13.81 lakh was awarded to Tuki's sister-in-law without calling for tenders, according to the PIL.

Likewise, many such contract works were awarded to the kith and kin of bam Tuki without following the norms and procedure.

Prima-facie it appears that bam Tuki has abused his official position as a minister in awarding contracts to his wife, sister- in-law, brother and other near relatives without calling for tenders.

It was learnt that the petitioner had at a later stage sought withdrawal of the PIL, but the Gauhati High Court took up a suit moto case and continued with the proceedings.

Senior advocate AC Borbora appeared for bam Tuki. Ms. Manjuli Dev, vice president of the Gauhati High Court Bar Association, had represented bami Yani, wife bam Tuki.