MLA’s legal advisers deny allegation of fund misappropriation

ITANAGAR, 14 Mar: Legal adviser to Daporijo MLA Taniya Soki, Duge Soki, denied the allegation levelled by Nikam Dabu and Tania Margia that the MLA misappropriated Rs 25 crore under the Rajiv Gandhi Grameen Vidyutikaran Yonjana (RGGVY) which was implemented in 2009-’10.

Addressing Dabu’s allegation that tender for the work under the scheme was awarded to M/s TS Power Company, Duge termed it “baseless and without any iota of truth” during a press conference at the APC here on Thursday.

“The contract work was awarded to M/s Reniya Enterprises on 29 December, 2010, which was sub-let to Tomi Soki, who was the lawful attorney at that time and Taniya Soki was a government employee in the PWD, with no connection to the said works,” Duge said.

“The department concerned has also already provided justification against the complaint lodged by T Margia. Thus, the allegation has been concocted with political motive,” he said.

As to the allegation that the MLA misused his MLALAD fund, the legal adviser termed it “a move to malign the hard-earned image of the MLA,” and added that “the fund was judiciously used for the welfare of the constituency by providing benefits to all the beneficiaries, as per the guidelines.”

“Under the MLALAD funds, various works were taken up, including public toilets, land development works, CC pavement, micro-irrigation channel, procurement of rod and cements, etc,” said the MLA’s other legal adviser, Pojam Tamin.

“It is evident from the department’s documents that all the work under the MLALAD funds was carried out through the firm NS Enterprises to ensure delivery of benefits to the beneficiaries,” he added.

Stating that “anyone can visit and collect the documents through proper channels,” the legal advisers said that “cheques for payments were issued by the agencies concerned to the beneficiaries.”