Staff Reporter
HAWAI, May 31: The special investigation cell (SIC) of the state vigilance department on Saturday arrested Additional Deputy Commissioner of Likabali (Lower Siang), Sode Potom and Cholingso Kora, a resident of Tezu in Lohit district, in connection with the Chaglagam to Rocham road compensation scam in Anjaw district.
Potom was then the Anjaw ADC, and a case was registered with the SIC.
It is alleged that the total amount of scam was worth Rs 24 crore which was meant as compensation against land acquisition for a stretch of 9.5 kilometers in Anjaw district.
SIC Superintendent of Police M Harsha Vardhan informed that the arrest was made after money trails were uncovered by the SIC during ongoing investigation.
Potom was reportedly arrested from Likabali in Lower Siang district, where he is currently posted as ADC and Cholingso Kora was picked by the team from Anjaw district. Both were produced in the court in Tezu on Sunday.
It is alleged that there were kickbacks involved in the compensation disbursement process.
“Investigation is ongoing,” the SIC SP said.
Reportedly, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), the executing agency, in 2017 carried out a land acquisition survey of 3 km (out of the 9.5 km) in the said stretch of area starting from 6.5 km near Taflagam village till Rocham and an amount of Rs 24 crore as land compensation was estimated and later sanctioned.
It was alleged that the BRO transferred the compensation amount in the ADC’s account when it should have actually been transferred to the DC’s account. Later, the locals had alleged that compensation amounts were not paid to the actual land owners.
