I will cooperate in PDS scam probe: Former Arunachal CM
By IANSWednesday, October 13, 2010
GUWAHATI - Former Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Gegong Apang, allegedly involved in a public distribution system (PDS) scam, Wednesday said he would cooperate in the investigations to ensure that he comes out clean.
“I am a law-abiding citizen and would surely cooperate in the investigations,” Apang told journalists while being produced in a special court in Assam’s Lakhimpur district.
“I don’t have much to say but I have full faith in the judiciary and surely expect to come out clean on the case,” he added.
The veteran Congress leader was arrested Aug 24 by Special Investigation Cell (SIC) sleuths and was granted conditional bail by the special court Oct 8 for eight weeks.
Apang, one of India’s longest serving chief ministers, was arrested from outside the SIC office in Arunachal Pradesh state capital Itanagar and was later produced before the sessions court in Assam’s Lakhimpur town.
The SIC was constituted by the state government, ruled by the Congress, to probe the Rs.1,000-crore PDS scam under the direct supervision of the Gauhati High Court.
Apang had earlier claimed he was a victim of politics hatched by his rivals within the Congress.
The probe began following a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by chairperson of Arunachal Citizens’ Rights Bamang Tegu and public leader Domin Loya June 13, 2004.
Apang was the chief minister during the period when the scam took place.
“I don’t know what happens to my political career, but I know for sure that I have the full sympathy of the people of my state,” he said.
False and fraudulent transport subsidy bills were allegedly cleared without financial concurrence, besides inflated bills for procuring items.
The Arunachal Pradesh Police Vigilance department earlier named 40 people, including Apang, several bureaucrats and businesspersons, as accused in the scam.
Apang dominated politics in Arunachal Pradesh during the past 25 years - 22 years as chief minister - although he lost the assembly elections in 2009.
