Aizawl: District Court’s Special Judge (Prevention of Corruption Act) Dr. HTC Lalrinchhana on Friday found Lalkhomang Guite, the former branch manager of State Bank of India’s Mission Veng branch, and his associate Gary T. Haokip guilty of corruption charges. They will be incarcerated, with the details of their punishment to be announced on July 1, 2024.
The case dates back to November 2006 and October 2007, when Guite was the branch manager and Gary T. Haokip owned the Sacred Heart Society. Alongside them were K. Lalremtluanga, Chairman of the Mizoram Rural Development Society, Rosangkimi Ralte, an employee at the Sacred Heart Society, and Thantluangi, Chairman of the Upliftment of Backward Women Self Help Group (SHG). They were accused of mishandling loans taken in the name of self-help groups for their gain.
Specifically, Lalkhomang Guite, Gary T. Haokip, and Thantluangi, through the Upliftment of Backward Women Self Help Group, took a loan of five lakhs, of which the SHG received only one lakh, with the remaining four lakhs untraceable. Additionally, Lalkhomang Guite and Gary T. Haokip, along with K. Lalremtluanga, facilitated loans of five lakhs each for three SHGs: Greenhill Self Help Group, Zoawi Self Help Group, and Mualmam Self Help Group. However, each SHG received only two lakhs.
During the trial, it was found that there was insufficient evidence to convict Thantluangi and K. Lalremtluanga. Unfortunately, Rosangkimi Ralte passed away on April 3, 2018, during the ongoing case, and thus her matter could not be further pursued. Nonetheless, there was sufficient evidence to find Lalkhomang Guite and Gary T. Haokip guilty.
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