A Special Court (Prevention of Corruption) in Aizawl has sentenced four businessmen to two years’ imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 1.50 lakh each, holding them accountable for their role in a multi-crore subsidy fraud case amounting to Rs 10.34 crore. The judgment, delivered by Special Judge F Rohlupuia, pertained to irregularities involving Mizo Carbon Products Limited. While these four individuals were convicted, 13 other accused, mostly government employees, were acquitted after the court determined there was insufficient evidence to establish their guilt beyond reasonable doubt. The sentences were pronounced on Friday, following their conviction on Thursday.
The convicted individuals include Ravi Gulgulia and Sandeep Agarwal, both residents of Guwahati, Assam; Vimal Kishore from Silchar in Assam’s Cachar district; and Pramod Bharech of Kolkata, West Bengal. They were found culpable under specific sections of the Indian Penal Code: 120B for criminal conspiracy, 420 for cheating, and 471 for using forged documents as genuine. Their geographical connections highlight the cross-regional nature of the financial scheme.
For the remaining 13 accused, the court observed that the prosecution could not adequately prove the charges against them. Consequently, these individuals, many of whom served in public sector roles, were cleared of all allegations, underscoring the stringent requirements for evidence in corruption cases.
This significant case originated from a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed in 2017 before the Gauhati High Court. The PIL was brought forward by prominent anti-corruption activist Vanramchhuangi, widely known as Ruatf..., drawing judicial scrutiny to the alleged financial malpractices.
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