Mongar Court Full Steam with Gylapoizhing Land Scam Case

Since December 11, 2012, Mongar courtroom has been inundated with people involved in the Gyalpoizhing land case.

That is despite the court scheduling the hearings, based on the defendants’ agreed dates.

Apart from the different hearings for 18 committee members, comprising of the various sector heads of Mongar then, hearings are scheduled for the remainder, who make up the 75 people linked to the case. Preliminary hearing for Land Allotment Committee member, Rinchen Wangdi, was held yesterday, while those of Tandin Dorji and Phuntsho was held on January 7.

Rinchen Wangdi, as a Dzongkhag Forest Officer, Tandin Dorji as the District Agriculture Officer, and Phuntsho as the Junior Engineer then, were all members of the Mongar Municipal Committee.

Anti-Corruption Commission’s case was that, as members of the Mongar Municipal Committee, they were responsible for ensuring that plot allotment conformed to the Government’s set criteria, and that plots were allotted to individuals not fulfilling those criteria.

However, they were all found to have failed to exercise due diligence in allotment of plots, and were charged for official misconduct.

Rinchen Wangdi, who had allotted three plots in 2006, will submit his opening statement on January 9. Tandin Dorji, who, besides allotting three plots in 2006, also allotted 26 commercial and 41 residential plots in 2001. He will present his opening statement today.

Phuntsho was responsible for allotting five plots in 2005 and 2006. He will submit his opening statement on January 10.

The Dzongkhag’s then District Livestock Officer, Dorji Wangchuk, who was also a member of the Mongar Municipal Committee, has already submitted his opening statement on January 7, against which ACC had put in a rebuttal yesterday.

Dorji Wangchuk allotted five plots to people, who failed the criteria of obtaining plots at Gyalpoizhing.

Former Dzongrab Tappo, who was the Vice Chairman of the then Land Allotment Committee, Tashi Norbu Sherpa, a Member Secretary and CL Das, Committee member, submitted their second rebuttal statement against ACC’s charges yesterday.

While Mongar Drangpon Gembo Dorji has his hands full with the Gyalpoizhing land case, Pama Gatshel Drangpon has been roped in to deal with cases arising in Mongar.

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From KUENSEL

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