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Thursday, March 28, 2024

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Thursday, March 28, 2024

No independent probes into Marak’s arrest, smart meter: CM

Conrad said that if the people have any issues with the smart meter project, they can meet the government and clear out their doubts.

SHILLONG: 

Chief Minister Conrad Sangma has rejected demands of the state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to institute an independent probe into the raid conducted in the farmhouse of its vice-president Bernard Marak and the implementation of the smart meters in the state.

“Investigation into the raid conducted in the farmhouse is going on and facts are coming out. I don’t think there is any need to institute an independent probe,” the Chief Minister said.

The chief minister’s statement came after the state BJP chief Ernest Mawrie met the Governor Satya Pal Malik and demanded the removal of the West Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner and Superintendent of Police expressing doubt whether a free and fair inquiry into the raid conducted at party’s vice-president Bernard Marak’s on July 22, would be possible under them.

Mawrie had also alleged that the concerning authorities have denied the party permission to take out a peace rally and sought an independent probe into the alleged sex racket case filed against Marak.

Prior to that, the party members, on July 30, had also staged a protest against the arrest of Marak in Tura.

Following his arrest on July 26, the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate in Tura had sent the former self-styled chairman of now disbanded militant outfit Achik National Voluntary Council (B) to eight days police custody.

The Chief Minister also said that there will not be an inquiry into the smart meter project implemented in the state as demanded by the Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC).

“There was an independent inquiry constituted into the matter after a demand was put in and it came out stating that there were no irregularities,” the Chief Minister said.

Conrad said that if the people have any issues with the smart meter project, they can meet the government and clear out their doubts.

“They can discuss with the deputy Chief Minister, we have no problem with that. But I would like to remind everyone that the report of the inquiry committee is very clear,” he said.

Notably, an independent inquiry committee, headed by Justice (Retd) RN Mishra, to probe the irregularities in the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL) and the Power department did not find anything wrong in terms of procurement by the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited (MeECL).

The term of reference of the committee was to inquire into record findings and make recommendations concerning the procurement, aggregate technical and commercial (AT&C) losses, human resources management aspects of the functioning of MeECL and its three subsidiary companies – Meghalaya Power Generation Corporation Ltd (MePGCL), Meghalaya Power Transmission Corporation Ltd (MePTCL) and Meghalaya Power Distribution Corporation Ltd (MePDCL).

Of late, the cost of each smart meter has been the bone of contention between the Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC), and the government with the former constantly questioning the government on the issue based on right to information reports and the latter, clarifying it.

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