Nagaland: SC Appoints Panel To Investigate Financial Mismanagement Of NRHM Programmes

KOHIMA: In order to investigate claims that the Nagaland government misappropriated funds for the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) initiative, the Supreme Court has assembled a panel made up of three senior IPS officials. The panel was also instructed to submit a report to the appropriate court within six months by a bench of Justices Surya Kant and JK Maheshwari.

The court's judgment stated that the best course of action would be to form a second SIT with three senior IPS officers from the IPS Cadre, ideally, direct recruits, to further investigate the charges and, if any merit is discovered, to file an additional charge sheet.

Additionally, the bench instructed the newly formed panel to investigate all of the charges and take the CAG Report into account.

Rosemary Dzuvichu, a social activist, filed a petition in court challenging the Gauhati High Court's decision in her request for an independent investigation into the misappropriation and theft of monies supplied by the federal government to the state for carrying out NHRM-related programmes. Even though the HC was displeased with the HC's order and had read the Technical Verification, the Inquiry Report from July 7, 2013, and the formal F.I.R. from July 30, 2014, she still went to the SC to voice her displeasure.

In the petition before the SC, it was claimed that high-ranking NRHM officials were reportedly given kickbacks instead of the substantial financial advances that NHRM's Engineering Division had made for different bogus undertakings. The claim further stated that "the monies allocated by the Government of India were reportedly used on purchasing premium and luxury vehicles" rather than providing assistance to expectant mothers, breastfeeding mothers, and young children at public health centers.

The state's advocate general said that a comprehensive investigation had been done while refuting the accusations. The Comptroller and Auditor General of India not only rejected some of the allegations but also thoroughly investigated the remaining ones. A charge sheet was then filed by a Special Investigation Team following the conclusion of the investigation, he continued.

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