Sikkim Lokayukta to inquire corruption allegations against 18 former ministers

GANGTOK: The Lokayukta will inquire into all allegations of corruption against 18 former ministers of Sikkim afresh, despite the clean chit given to them by the Justice R K Patra Inquiry Commission.

Law Minister R B Subba told the Assembly that the cases automatically stood transferred to the Lokayukta as the Lokayukta Act was now in force in Sikkim.

The Congress had levelled allegations of corruption against 22 former ministers of the SDF government in 2010. A commission of inquiry, headed by Justice (retd) R K Patra was set up by the state government to look into the allegations.

The commission's report was tabled in the Sikkim Assembly yesterday.

Of the 22, the commission had "not fully accepted the explanations furnished" by four former ministers - Sonam Gyatso Lepcha, N K Pradhan, T T Bhutia and Menlom Lepcha.

The commission had directed the state government to "inquire into certain aspects" of allegations levelled against them.

Subba told the Assembly that the Lokayukta would look into the allegations against these four ministers separately.

"In effect, allegations against all the 22 have been forwarded to the Lokayukta for further inquiry," he explained.

The Law minister said he himself had received summons from the Lokayukta to appear before him on September 16 next.