Aizawl: Mizoram’s sole Congress legislator, C Ngunlianchunga, has been granted bail by a Special Court(Prevention of Corruption Act) after being charge-sheeted in connection with alleged financial irregularities linked to a decade-old infrastructure project in the southern part of the state.
The case pertains to the construction of a bypass road in Lawngtlai town near the Myanmar border, for which central funds were sanctioned in 2013 under the Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources by the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER). At the time, Ngunlianchunga was serving as the Chief Executive Member of the Lai Autonomous District Council. Allegations of misappropriation eventually led to a formal complaint with the state Lokayukta, which authorized an investigation by the Anti-Corruption Bureau in 2022.
The court granted bail after hearing arguments from the legislator’s legal counsel, who pointed out that the investigation had been completed and the charge sheet filed. It was also submitted that the accused, being a permanent resident of the state and an elected representative, posed no risk of evading the legal process. His ongoing treatment for rectal cancer was further cited as a humanitarian consideration in favour of bail.
The court accepted the submissions, setting the bail amount at ₹2 lakh along with a dependable surety, and directed the accused to appear regularly for future proceedings. The next hearing has been scheduled for July 22.
The case continues to draw public attention, not only due to the position held by the accused but also due to the broader implications for oversight and accountability in centrally funded development projects in the region.
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