LG: A group of people from Shompangkha gewog in Sarpang have filed a written complaint against the former gup to the dzongkhag dispute settlement committee for allegedly misusing power and public money.

The villagers said that they filed the complaint on September 1, and that they have not received a reply yet from the committee.

There are a total of six points against the gup.

“We are not happy with the corrupt practices of our former gup, Suk Dorji Yonzon and he has also undermined the public and nation as a whole. Therefore, we the public would like to request the authorities concerned to look into the matter and take appropriate actions,” it is stated in the complaint letter.

The statement reads that during the annual census in the gewog in 2015, the former gup collected Nu 100 from each household as contribution for construction of a thongdrel at Tali Dratshang and Nu 200 from every household from Kencholing chiwog and Nu 500 from vehicle owners for the maintenance of the road from Dargeythang to Risumgang chiwog.

The villager also allege in the complaint letter that the former gup misused Nu 15,000 from the Hindu temple’s fund.

“The gup took Nu 18,500 to pay the bills for the shopping done for the Durga Puja at Shiva Mandir   in Kencholing and the money was from the donations and nyendar, which was later known that the bills were not yet paid to the shopkeepers,” it is stated in the complaint letter.

It also states that the gup called the ex-tshogpa of Dargaythang on August 30 this year and warned him not to spread false messages regarding his corrupt practices.

“Local government election might turn out to be like those in the neighbouring countries where people resort to using weapons if he continues to spread the false messages,” it is stated in the complaint letter.

However, the dispute settlement committee of Sarpang said that the complaint that the villagers filed were not at all related to elections and it does not breach electoral laws.

“There is not even a single line related to election and the committee is looking into it to forward the case as the civil case.”

The former gup is contesting for a second term.

Yeshey Dema | Dagana

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