SHILLONG: A high-level committee constituted by the Meghalaya government to probe the infamous job scam that rocked this north-eastern state earlier in 2011, today sought a six month extension to complete the task.
In an affidavit filed before the Chief Justice of the Meghalaya High Court, Justice T Meena Kumari, the committee sought six more months time to complete the probe.
Citing non-availability of original documents and original files from the registry of the Meghalaya High Court and the CBI, the committee through the deputy secretary of the Education department B S Sohliya, said the chairman of the committee "would start the examination of the legality of the whole recruitment procedure as and when the documents are received".
An inquiry by the CBI had earlier indicted Urban Affairs Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh (the then Education Minister), the CBI in its report said the then director of the School, Education and Literacy, J D Sangma, was "instructed" by the Minister to tamper with the score-sheets in all five sub-divisions of the state.
"Enquiry has established that majority of candidates were appointed in irregular manner by changing their original marks on account of experience, education, qualification in the score sheets by applying white fluid (correction ink)," the report said, adding that the board members were surprised to see the manipulated score sheets.
While the education department had appointed 350 names as successful candidates in the selection process, 255 were those who were recommended by the politicians.
A single bench of the Gauhati High Court had ordered for a CBI inquiry into the alleged anomalies in the appointment of assistant teachers in government lower primary schools in Meghalaya after adjudicating on a case of nine writ petitions filed by more than 100 aggrieved applicants from various districts of the state during April-May 2010.
