Under probe: Cong minister in Arunachal who got jobs for his kids on ‘fake’ degrees

AICC in charge of Arunachal Pradesh Sanjay Bapna told The Indian Express: “We have received the complaints against the Minister. We are investigating and if anything is established against the minister,we will take suitable action.” The matter is said to have reached party president Sonia Gandhi,too.

The minister’s son,Akung Welly,and daughter,Anung Welly,were alleged to have produced fake degree certificates and marksheets from Pragjyotish College and Beltola College respectively under Gauhati University,to secure the posts of Inspector (Tax & Excise) and Social and Cultural Organiser (SCO) respectively in the Arunachal Pradesh government.

Last month,FIRs were lodged at Itanagar police station against the minister,his children and former Secretary of Culture Affairs Y D Thongchi who is now the Chief Information Commissioner. But the Congress has refrained from taking any action against the Minister so far.

Replying to an RTI application by an NGO,Sango Lamte Foundation (SLF),the Gauhati University revealed that no certificates were issued to Akung and Anung Welly by Pragjyotish and Beltola colleges as the two were never enrolled in these institutions.

The principals of both Pragjyotish College and Beltola College have also said that no students by those names were enrolled in their respective institutions during the sessions mentioned. Deepali Ojah,principal of Beltola College,Guwahati,said she had verified the records of 2003 and found there was no student by the name of Anung Welly in her college at that time.

“I have seen the photocopy of the certificate said to have been issued by our college,and found it to be false and fabricated. We do not issue certificates in that form. Moreover,the signature of the Principal does not match with the signature of the person who was holding that post in 2003,” she told The Indian Express.

When contacted,Atum Welly’s office said that the minister was “doing pooja” and would not be available till July 21. Thongchi was not available for comment despite repeated attempts to reach him on his mobile.

Meanwhile,Payi Gadi,chairman of the SLF who filed the RTI query,has been allegedly facing threats from anonymous callers. In a letter to the state DGP last month,his wife Seyang sought police protection for her husband saying he,with four others,had lodged the FIR at Itanagar police station against the minister,his children and YD Thongchi.

“Due to reluctance of the Itanagar Police to act upon the said FIR,the perpetrators of the high-profile corrupt politicians and bureaucrats are moving scot-free and in the process many anti-social elements are being pressed into the job to eliminate my husband and other stakeholders in their endeavour to clean up the already littered administration in Arunachal…The fall-out of the Itanagar Police inaction and your good office too to provide necessary police protection to my husband ended up with the planting of a pistol and reportedly some bombs on 5.6.2011 in the private car of my husband,” she complained.