CBI names politicians in anomalies in teachers' recruitment

Shillong: A number of politicians, including Meghalaya Assembly Speaker Charles Pyngrope, have been named in a CBI report submitted before the Guwahati High Court regarding probe into alleged irregularities in teachers' recruitment.

Besides Pyngrope, five state ministers have also been named in connection with irregularities in the selection of candidates for the post of assistant teachers in government lower primary schools in 2010.

CBI has accused these politicians of influencing the selection process.

Besides Pyngrope and Shullai, those named by CBI in its report submitted before the Shillong Bench of Gauhati High Court include Urban Affairs Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh, who was then the Education Minister, besides cabinet ministers R C Laloo, Prestone Tynsong, AL Hek, JA Lyngdoh.

"The impugned selection process is vitiated by nepotism, favouritism and malice in law, if not malice in fact," the 107-page CBI report said.

CBI, which had also questioned all the officials allegedly involved, found "the process suffered from arbitrariness, perversity and irregularities and was indefensible".

While the education department had appointed 350 names as successful candidates in the selection process, 255 were those whose names were recommended by the politicians, it found.

Indicting Lyngdoh, the CBI report said the then director of the School, Education and Literacy, JD Sangma, was "instructed" by the minister to tamper with the score sheets in all five sub-divisions of the state.

"Majority of candidates were appointed in irregular manner by changing their original marks on account of experience, education, qualification in the scoresheet by applying white fluid (correction ink)," the report said, adding the board members expressed surprise to see manipulated score sheets.

Further, the CBI said the Speaker had recommended three candidates, his deputy Sanbor Shullai had four recommendations which were duly accepted.

Cabinet Ministers Laloo, Tynsong, Hek and JA Lyngdoh had together recommended 70 candidates of their choices.

Similarly, MLAs Sniawbhalang Dhar, RV Lyngdoh, Remington Pyngrope, Limison Sangma, Donkupar Massar had recommended 131 candidates, while other influential politicians successfully recommended 47 other names, the report said.

A single bench of the Gauhati High Court had ordered a CBI inquiry into the matter 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.