The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) today submitted evidences based on the 23 charges against the Speaker, Jigme Tshultim, at the Monggar District Court. The documents stated that the Speaker had allotted land to those who did not fulfill the criteria.
Majority of the beneficiaries, in their statements to the ACC, said they were not aware of the criteria. Some even said they didn’t know that they had acquired land until it came out in the media. A few of them said, they had put up application after being suggested by the Speaker, who was the then Monggar Dzongda. The beneficiaries are mostly, directly or indirectly, related to higher rank civil servants including Ministers according to ACC’s statement.
The Speaker is scheduled to submit his evidences on January 22.
The ACC also submitted the rebuttal statement against the Home Minister, Minjur Dorji. According to the statement, as the Chairperson of the allotment committee then, Lyonpo Minjur Dorji had deviated from the set criteria and allotted land as per his preferences.
However, the representative of Lyonpo argued that since the authority is clear from the Zonal Administration and the then Department of Urban Development and Housing circular following the Royal Kaja, if it is a procedural lapse the case doesn’t fall under the criminal charge.
