Retired top official held in Arunachal’s illegal teachers appointment scam

The police have arrested a retired senior official of the Arunachal Pradesh government in connection with his alleged role in illegally appointing primary school teachers.

Itanagar: The police have arrested a retired senior official of the Arunachal Pradesh government in connection with his alleged role in illegally appointing primary school teachers in the northeastern state, an official said here on Friday. Retired deputy director of school education Jomdo Lona (61) was arrested by the Special Investigation Cell (SIC) from his residence at Aalo in West Siang district on Thursday.

“After detailed interrogation and technical analysis, Lona was arrested,” SIC (Vigilance) Superintendent of Police Anant Mittal said.

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He was allegedly involved in the appointment of 28 primary school teachers in Longding district. This is the first arrest in the case.

The investigating agency on Monday conducted raids at multiple locations in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam in connection with the illegal appointment case.

“During the raid carried out concurrently at various residential and office premises, a few important documents, digital evidence and some seals were seized,” Mittal said.

The state government terminated the services of the 28 primary teachers in June following the recommendations of a three-member Fact Finding Committee constituted by Education Minister Taba Tedir after a local students’ body alleged that their appointments were illegal.

Based on the findings of the committee report, the SIC (Vigilance) police station registered a case under the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act, 1988.

Mittal added that the investigation into the case is on and more arrests will be made.