New Delhi: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Jarbom Gamlin is trying to protect a senior minister in his government, Atum Welly who has been exposed by CNN-IBN for getting a fake degree for his daughter. Speaking exclusively to CNN-IBN, the Arunachal Chief Minister claimed that Welly was not involved in any wrong doing.
"No, these are allegations. The enquiry is on and the police department has been given the responsibility to submit the report. As far I know, his daughter joined the service with a class 12th certificate and the required qualification was of class 10th. She has said that she has never submitted any documents; someone else might have planted it also, which needs to be enquired," claimed Gamlin.
Welly's son and daughter have reportedly submitted fake degrees and documents to secure plush government jobs. The forgery was revealed by a RTI filed by local activists who now allege they are being threatened and intimidated.
In 2007, Atum's son Akung Welly was appointed as Inspector, Taxes and Excise and marksheets and certificates from Pragjyotish College of Guwahati were submitted. Later a RTI reply revealed that the documents were forged and Welly had not graduated from the college.
Atum's daughter Anung Welly too was appointed as a cultural officer in 2010 during the time when her father was the cultural minister. Anung submitted a graduate degree from Beltola College in Guwahti - an institute where she had never enrolled.
Both forgeries were confirmed by the Itananagar Superintendent of Police in his court affidavit, which stated," sufficient documentary evidence of forgery exist against Anung Welly and Akung Welly and they will be arrested sooner."
Atum Welly's abuse of power is also being investigated. The Superintendent of Police has been transferred after he gave the report.
RTI activist Payi Gyadi, who exposed the forgeries, alleges the minister tried to buy him out and now he is being harassed. On June 5 this year, a pistol and two hand grenades were planted in his car.
Welly's hand was exposed when police arrested three suspects. One of them was Sanjeev Tana, Atum Welly's former election agent. Gyadi now wants the case to be probed by the CBI.
"I would like to request Sonia Gandhi to take action since the state government is not doing anything," said Gyadi.
The police registered an FIR against Welly's son and daughter in January 2011 but no action has been taken so far. Welly who is a Congress minister has spread a sense of fear and continues to be in power and what also continues is the abuse of power.