CBI raids former Meghalaya minister's residence in education scam
Shillong, April 27 (IANS) The CBI on Friday conducted raids at the residence of former Meghalaya Education Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh, who is accused in manipulation of score sheets in the recruitment of assistant teachers in primary schools in 2008-2009.
Apart from Lyngdoh's residence here, the agency searched four other locations, including the office of Directorate of School Education and Literacy.
In January, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered an FIR against Lyngdoh, currently member of the Meghalaya assembly from the East Shillong constituency, and Additional Chief Secretary P.S. Thangkhiew in the alleged teachers' recruitment scam.
Acting on the orders of Meghalaya High Court, the agency registered the FIR under charges of criminal conspiracy, forgery, criminal breach of trust against Lyngdoh, who was the Education Minister at the time of the alleged scam, and Thangkhiew, a 1984-batch IAS officer, who was then Principal Secretary, Education.
Thangkhiew is now the Additional Chief Secretary, Home.
The agency had also made the directorate of elementary and mass education and unidentified persons accused in the FIR.
The high court on November 2 last year ordered the CBI to take over the investigation registered by Meghalaya Police relating to alleged mass manipulation, tampering score sheets and interference in the selection of assistant teachers in lower primary schools in 2008-09.
It is alleged that Lyngdoh instructed J.D. Sangma, who was then Director, Elementary and Mass Education, 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 alleged Lyngdoh, in collusion and connivance with other members of the assembly, carried out large scale manipulation in the selection process for the appointment of assistant teachers.
--IANS
rak/vd