AGARTALA, Dec 4 ? More and more skeletons in the cupboard are tumbling in the Tripura Autonomous Distrct Council (TTAADC). The faction-ridden Nationalist Socialist Party of Tripura (NSPT), ruling party of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), suffered yet another jolt with the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate on Tuesday issuing an arrest warrant against Chief Executive Member (CEM) Budhu Debbarma in a cheating case.
Judge Udit Choudhury also directed police authorities to arrest Debbarma and to produce before the court at earliest. The move plunged the NSPT into an abysmal gulf at a time when elections to tribal council approaching fast. The party leadership is virtually under mounting pressure to replace Debbarma following the financial corruption charge. One Ramananda Debbarma and two others, all active members of the NSPT filed a case before the court on Tuesday and alleged that the CEM had taken Rs 7 lakh from them promising them jobs and other contract jobs.
Ramananda also submitted an audiotape and a letter as evidence of giving the money to the CEM. They informed the court that the money was paid on September 16 last and the CEM assured them of the work order before November 21 or else to return the money. Ramananda said they received no work and job even after the expiry of the deadline, prompting them to move the court for justice.
Taking strong exception to the allegation, the court issued a warrant against the CEM and instructed police to arrest him as early as possible. However, NSPT president Gouri Shankar Reang dismissed the allegation, terming it as baseless. At a press conference here on Tuesday, he claimed the move was a deep-rooted conspiracy against NSPT to put the party in trouble. It may be mentioned that Hirendra Kumar Tripura had to quit as CEM following financial corruption charges and Debbarma is all set to quit the job in the wake of a similar allegation against him.