The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is poised to appeal to the Supreme Court following the Meghalaya High Court’s ruling on the 2008 ‘white ink case’, which dismissed all charges against Cabinet Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh and two retired officials, JD Sangma and Ameka Lyngdoh. CBI sources indicated that the agency would first review the High Court’s order before deciding on the appeal. “At this time, we can’t confirm whether we will appeal. Our officers will evaluate the ruling and make a legally sound decision,” a CBI source, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated. In India, the time frame for appealing a criminal case in the Supreme Court is 90 days from the High Court’s judgment, or 60 days for a Special Leave Petition regarding a High Court order.
Meanwhile, Lyngdoh’s legal team has stated that they will contest any potential Supreme Court challenge to the High Court’s decision. The Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) has demanded clarification from the state government regarding the future of 246 candidates whose appointments were annulled due to allegations of illegal recruitment. HYC president Roy Kupar Synrem expressed concern, stating, “Now that the High Court has cleared the names of the three accused, what will the government do about the 246 candidates?” He emphasized the need for accountability, especially given the recruitment scandal that has plagued Meghalaya’s education sector for nearly two decades.
An FIR was filed against Lyngdoh, who was then the Education Minister, alongside two senior officials from the Directorate of Elementary and Mass Education in 2011. The investigation has faced significant delays, with the High Court transferring the case from the state CID to the CBI in 2017 due to investigative failures. The CBI issued its chargesheet in June 2020, but formal charges against the three individuals were only established in late 2022. Synrem commented on the prolonged nature of the case, saying, “This issue has been unresolved for 17 years. The delays in investigation and trial point to a failure by law enforcement agencies.”
He noted that of the 521 scrutinized appointments, a High-Level Committee found 246 to be illegal, leading to their cancellations. “If the court now states there is no evidence of tampering, who then is responsible for these irregularities?” Synrem questioned. “If these individuals are innocent, who is behind this scam? Someone must be held accountable; otherwise, where is the justice for the deserving youth denied jobs?”
Original Source: https://theshillongtimes.com/2025/09/06/cbi-may-move-sc-against-hc-verdict-in-white-ink-case/
Category: MEGHALAYA
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Publish Date: 2025-09-06 05:05:00
