Top Meghalaya police officer arrested in vehicle ‘scam’

The special investigating team of Meghalaya police’s Crime Investigation Department (CID) on Wednesday arrested senior police officer, Gabriel K. Iangrai for his allegedly misappropriating funds in the purchase of vehicles.

A State police spokesperson said Mr. Iangrai was arrested before an anticipatory bail filed by him could be heard by a special judge. The CID team also searched his farmhouse at Umsning near Shillong, his official residence and the house of his mother.

The CID had registered a case against Mr. Iangrai under the Prevention of Corruption Act after an internal inquiry found his involvement in the acquisition of 29 vehicles that were deployed for his personal use.

A five-member inquiry team led by Inspector-General (Law and Order) Mukesh Kumar Singh had found Mr. Iangrai had overstepped his jurisdiction and authority as the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (Administration) in the procurement of vehicles and use of fuel by the Meghalaya police headquarters.

Mr. Iangrai was posted as the Commandant of the elite Special Force-10 when the probe team submitted its report to the government.

The police officer’s name also figures in another inquiry report on the misuse of funds related to the construction of the National Emergency Response System building at Shillong’s Sadar police station.

On Tuesday, the CID in Assam arrested Utpal Bora, a police sub-inspector for allegedly tampering evidence to shield a man accused of raping and murdering a 13-year-old girl.

According to the CID, the sub-inspector had taken a bribe of ₹5 lakh from the accused in the rape-and-murder case identified as Krishna Kamal Baruah to “provide him undue favour”. The minor girl was found dead on June 11 in Baruah’s house, where she was a domestic help.

Mr. Bora was then the officer in charge of Dhula police station in Darrang district.