In its rebuttal statement at the high court today, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) requested the court’s full bench to uphold the Monggar court’s verdict on the Gyalpoizhing land allotment case.
ACC reiterated that the Home Minister, Minjur Dorji, had failed to abide by His Majesty’s Kasho of 1987, whereby failing, check and balance.
The Home Minister was also charged with criminal intent and official misconduct. ACC’s representative said it doesn’t matter whether the plots were allotted out of goodwill. ACC also stressed that it also doesn’t matter whether the benefits the Home Minister and the Committee members gained from allotting plots were indirect. What counts, ACC said, was the plots were allotted to those who were not entitled.
ACC mentioned that there are still some 25 people who are eligible but did not get the plots. ACC also said some of the committee members were not aware of the rules and regulations governing plot allotment and that it was the Dzongda, as the head of the committee, who took the decision.
ACC also said that defence counsel is supposed to appeal on behalf of the committee members as well. But in the first hearing, the defence counsel, ACC said appealed more in favour of the Home Minister.
The legal counsel of the Home Minister, who is also representing the other committee members, will submit its rebuttal on Monday.
Meanwhile, the first hearing for the National Assembly Speaker is scheduled for Monday.