NAHARLAGUN, July 25: The Guwahati High Court Itanagar Bench has fixed   August 9 next for hearing of PIL  No.13/2022 (Kaku Potom vs State of Arunachal Pradesh) related to the alleged Rs. 142 crore scam  under the central project of Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY) in Arunachal Pradesh  filed by one  Kaku Potom.
Speaking to reporters after appearing before the High Court, Advocate Mehmood Pracha informed that due to the delay in the submission of the affidavit by the government responder and the requirement of a few more documents on the PIL, the Court has directed to fix the next hearing on August 9.
This PIL is an ‘Open & Shut’ case, but the responder is trying its best to defend it, and submitted their affidavit in court on July 24th last, a day before the hearing, said Advocate Pracha while adding that the Government responder is  arguing on rules of filing PIL instead of responding on the main issues.
Pracha also claimed that ‘in the affidavit of the responder, it is clearly mentioned that without the approval and signature of Chairman State Level Supervising Committee (SLSC) the Detail Project Reports has been sent to Rural Electrification Corporation Limited, Ministry of Power.' 
"The approval of DPR was sent to REC on 15th October 2019, but interestingly  departmental committee to approve the DPR was constituted on 22nd November 2019," stated Advocate Pracha.
He also informed that, the government responder in its affidavit also mentioned that, Rural Electrification Corporation Limited, Ministry of Power has directed over the phone to process the tender.
"We are not arguing that the whole Rs. 142 crore  has been misused. But there has been embezzlement of funds that needs to be investigated," he said.
Further, petitioner Kaku Potom claimed that projects under DDUGJY is still not completed, and many projects are still under construction. "I have personally visited various locations of Tawang, Bomdila and Namsai.  There are loopholes in the DPR, even the Chief Engineer has acknowledged it," he added while appealing for a third-party inquiry committee to unearth the fact of Rs. 142 Crore DDUGJY.
A Public Interest Litigation (13/2022) has been filed in the Guwahati  High Court –Itanagar Bench before Justice SK Medhi and Justice Kakheto Sema praying for registering a criminal case as well as a judicial inquiry on the mismanagement of funds meant for the project under the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gram Jyoti Yojna (DDUGJY) pertaining to three districts -- West Kameng, Tawang and Namsai worth Rs. 142.74  crore.

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
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