Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, Aug 13: In continuation of the major crackdown on those who are allegedly involved in the multi-crore Trans-Arunachal Highway (TAH) compensation scam, the Special Investigation Cell (SIC) arrested Yachuli (Lower Subansiri) Agriculture Development Officer (ADO) Toko Tath on Monday.
SIC SP M Harsha Vardhan informed The Arunachal Times that Tath was arrested from Doimukh “in connection with FIR No 2/19 of the SIC police station, under Sections 409, 420, 467, 468 and 471 of the IPC, read with Section 13 (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.”
The ADO is now under police custody, the SP said.
Vardhan informed that Tath was allegedly involved in inflating the compensation amount in the disbursement of compensation for the construction of the 157.7-km Bopi-Potin road.
“Tath was a member of the compensation assessment committee of TAH. He is alleged to have inflated the compensation amounts, as per the fact-finding committee,” the SP said.
Vardhan also said “it is alleged that Tath and his family members fraudulently received a large amount as compensation.”
The multi-crore TAH scam is considered to be one of the biggest in Arunachal. It is said that the total compensation amount is Rs 188 crore. According to the SIC, nearly Rs 50-60 crore went to fake beneficiaries.
Ever since it launched the investigation, the SIC has arrested six persons for being allegedly involved in the TAH scam.
Businessman Likha Maj, former Lower Subansiri DC Kemo Lollen and DLRSO Bharat Lingu were arrested in July last year over the scam involved in the Joram-Koloriang stretch of the highway, while PWD JE Kabak Bath, PWD AE Toko Taje and ADO Tath have been arrested over the scam involved in the Potin-Bopi stretch of the highway project.
