Shillong: A pressure group from Meghalaya has lodged a complaint with the Secretary of the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, raising concerns over a purported land compensation scam connected to the Shillong-Western Bypass project.
The Hynñiewtrep Youths’ Council’s (HYC) Sohiong and Nongthliew units accused two individuals, Phridensing Thabah and Rojen Khyllait, of embezzling compensation funds that were meant for landowners who had surrendered their land for the construction of the bypass road.
The Shillong-Western Bypass project was initiated with the primary goal of alleviating traffic congestion in Shillong.
Stretching approximately 38.256 kms, the project has been allocated an estimated budget of Rs 2,205 crore by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
The HYC has provided several examples to support its claims of misappropriation, which they allege amount to more than Rs 1 crore.
According to the HYC, several landowners, who were due to receive substantial compensation for their land, were persuaded by Thabah and Khyllait to sign blank cheques under the pretext of “official use.”
In addition, the two individuals allegedly demanded that the landowners pay them a 10 percent cut of the compensation they were entitled to receive.
The HYC argues that the landowners, who are mostly uneducated, were unaware of the significance of signing blank cheques and the implications of giving away a percentage of their compensation.
They claim these individuals fell victim to the deceptive actions of Thabah and Khyllait.
Furthermore, the pressure group asserts that numerous other landowners have also been affected but have remained silent due to threats and intimidation.
In response to the allegations, Khyllait, who was named by the HYC, denied any wrongdoing.
He asserted that he is not involved in any land mafia operations, that he never obtained blank cheques from the landowners, and that the accusations against him are entirely false, misleading, and baseless.
