Council secretary shot in both legs by KYKL

Imphal, May 24: The secretary of the Council for Higher Secondary Education, Dr Kh Joychandra Singh, was shot and wounded by activists of the underground Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup, KYKL, this afternoon as a punishment for allegedly bribing his way into his post. Dr Joychandra, who was appointed secretary of the council at the end of April was abandoned by the KYKL activists with bullet wounds in both legs at the Loijeng Chingkhong area under Lamlai police station. He has since been admitted to JN hospital. Joychandra had been kidnapped by activists of the underground group on May 16 last. Earlier today, Joychandra was produced before media persons somewhere in Senapati district. A spokesperson of the KYKL charged that Joychandra had made pay-offs amounting to over Rs 1.4 lakhs to secure the job of secretary of the council, and said Joychandra had confessed the same. The spokesperson pinpointed the minister of state for schools education. Dr Maniruddin Sheikh, Assembly Speaker TN Haokip, and chairman of the Assembly Hill Areas Committee Songchinkhup as having received varying amounts from Joychandra. The spokesman said that a special team of the KYKL's Special Task Force had conducted an investigation as part of its Operation New Kangleipak on suspicion of corruption in the appointment of Joychandra and found that the suspicions were true. The spokesperson said that pursuant to a requisition by the commissioner of schools education, the director of higher education had at the end of March submitted the names of three-selection grade as suitable candidates for the post of secretary of the council. Kh Joychandra's name did not figure in the list, which comprised of Dr N Kunjabihari Singh, reader in physics, Oriental College, Dr M Kaoba, reader in history, Oriental College, and Dr Lilabanta Singh, principal-in-charge, Lilong Haoreibi College. Joychandra's appointment was made in total violation of (the prescribed procedure, the spokesperson charged. He added that as per the Manipur Hr Sec Education Amendment Act 1995, a candidate for the post of secretary was required to have at least three years administrative experience, but Dr Joychandra did not fulfill this condition. The spokesperson further stated that Dr Joychandra had confessed his guilt, and revealed that a total amount of Rs 1 lakh was to have been made to the minister of state for higher education. Dr Maniruddin Sheikh, for his appointment, out of which Rs 50,000 had already been paid in the month of April. Joychandra also paid a total of Rs 70,000 to the Speaker, TN Haokip, including an amount of Rs 20,000 for repair of the latter's vehicle, the spokesperson said. He added that another Rs 20,000 had been paid on May 3 last to the chairman of the Hill Areas Committee, Songchinkhup. An amount of Rs 10,000 was paid to one Lal Baite for making contact with Songchinkhup, the spokesman further stated. The KYKL spokesman declared Dr Sheikh, TN Haokip, Songchinkhup, and Lal Baite as enemies of the people, and said they would be punished for their parts in the scandal. While declining to reveal the nature of their punishment, he said that the guilt of those with greater responsibility was naturally greater than those with lesser responsibility. He appealed to the public and the student organizations to boycott such corrupt leaders. He added that apart from this, the KYKL was investigating the possibility of corruption in the matter of transfer and posting of some teachers at the start of Dr Maniruddin Sheikh's stint as minister of state for education (s). While lamenting that the loss of ethics and professionalism among the teaching community, he said the KYKL would not allow the politicians to make a racket of the education department or use education as their vote banks.