The CBI has booked Meghalaya’s PWD minister Ampareen Lyngdoh and state’s Additional Chief Secretary P S Thangkhiew over alleged manipulation of score sheets in the recruitment of teachers in 2008-09.
The case got registered by CBI after a division bench of the Meghalaya High Court directed the investigative agency to take over the investigation case of Laitumkhrah Police Station on November 2 last. Meghalaya High Court asked CBI to investigate on the probe related to the alleged mass manipulations, tampering in the score sheets and interference in the selection of the posts of assistant teachers in Lower Primary Schools in the year 2008-2009.
The High Court had said it is clearly of the view that this is a matter that required thorough and deep investigation by an independent agency.
Thangkhiew is now the additional chief secretary looking after the crucial home department.
The state is likely to go for Assembly polls in the first quarter this year.
The agency has also made Directorate of Elementary and Mass Education and unidentified persons accused in the FIR.
It is alleged that Lyngdoh had instructed J D Sangma, who was the director, elementary and mass education, at that time and two of her supporters to tamper and forge the score sheets by applying white fluid to increase or decrease marks of the candidates.
The complainant had alleged that the minister in collusion and connivance with other members of the legislative Assembly carried out large scale manipulation in the selection process for the appointment of assistant teachers.
CBI on the case said, “We are clearly of the view that the state police would not be the proper agency to be entrusted with the investigation, and for the requisite investigation and for bringing to book all the persons responsible in this scam, it is rather imperative that investigation in the FIR…to be carried out by the CBI.”
Ampareen is the only woman candidate who has never face defeat in elections in Meghalaya.She hails from a family with strong political background and left her teaching career and joined the Indian Youth Congress. However, she was denied ticket for the 2008 state election which prompted her to contest from the United Democratic Party (UDP). In the aftermath 44 members of UDP resigned in protest as her brother Robert G Lyngdoh was a Congress legislator and the presiding state’s education Minister at that time.
She won the following assembly election by defeating the former President of UDP Youth wing Malcolm B Tariang who contested as an independent. Though she won by huge margin yet she was forced to resign from UDP in 2009 when the Congress attained majority and formed the government.
The same year she joined the Congress. In the 2009 by-election she retained her seat. By joining the Congress she became the education minister even though she was not a legislator.
Ampareen was re-elected to the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly from the East Shillong constituency in 2013 after the creation and delimitation of Laitumkhrah constituency by defeating the UDP candidate and the former cabinet minister Bindo M Lanong.