Court frames corruption charges against Golay and four others

GANGTOK, 11 Dec: The District & Sessions Court at Gangtok today framed charges against SDF MLA from Upper Burtuk, PS Tamang, and four others for criminal breach of trust, criminal conspiracy, cheating and misappropriation of government funds under the Indian Penal Code.
Mr. Tamang and four other persons have been charged in a Vigilance case for the alleged misappropriation of funds from government schemes and abuse of power and position when he was Minister for Animal Husbandry, Livestock and Fisheries in 1996-97.
Sikkim Vigilance Directorate had registered a case against the now dissident MLA after the High Court of Sikkim had issued directions to it to investigate into the alleged misappropriation of government funds in the distribution of milching cows to the below poverty line families. The High Court order had come after the then Sikkim Sangram Parishad leaders led by the now Sikkim Pradesh Congress Committee president Nar Bahadur Bhandari had filed a writ petition in the High Court of Sikkim seeking directions to the Vigilance Directorate to take up the case.
The case itself was initiated by Opposition party members in the year 2003 who had gone to Court with allegations of corruption against the former Minister and four others when Mr. Tamang was Minister for Animal Husbandry and the Court directed Vigilance to investigate.
Today, the District Judge, while passing the order on charges, recorded that the Court had found sufficient prima-facie evidence and substance against Mr. Tamang and four others and subsequently passed orders on charges under section 468/ 409/ 420/ 403 and 13(1)( c ) and 13(1)(d) of Prevention of Corruption Act.
Among the accused along with Mr. Tamang are former Sikkim Milk Union Managing Director, TB Gurung, Keshu Agrawal, Subash Tamang and Sanjay Agarwal [the last three charged under section 468/ 420/ 403 read with section 120 B of the IPC].
The State Government had launched a milching cow distribution scheme after the SDF party came to power in 1994 and issued guidelines for compulsory insurance and supply of milching cows from recognized firms.
Mr. Tamang was the Minister of Animal Husbandry, Livestock and Fisheries department at the time and is alleged to have violated the norms and guidelines while favouring local suppliers and misappropriating government funds. The scheme was funded by the central government with a sum of Rs. 79 lakh for the upliftment of people living under the Below Poverty Line.