High court turns down Gegong Apang's bail plea

The Gauhati high court today rejected the bail petition of former Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Gegong Apang, arrested three days ago for his alleged involvement in a multi-crore public distribution system scam.

Justice PK Mussahary of the Itanagar bench turned down the bail plea of Apang, who was arrested here by the special investigation cell (SIC) on August 24 and remanded in seven days' police custody.

The court rejected Apang's plea after the investigating agency submitted that it could not interrogate Apang as he was admitted to hospital the same day.

The incarcerated Congress leader was represented by counsels K Ete and A Apang.

SIC head MS Chauhan said the agency did not get the opportunity to cross-question Apang on the basis of material evidences against him and the statements of other accused.

In another development, the SIC requested the state government to constitute a board of senior doctors to be headed by a senior medical officer, which would examine Apang and declare his fitness for giving a statement.

Several fraudulent hill transport subsidy bills were allegedly cleared without financial concurrence when Apang was at the helm of affairs, resulting in heavy loss to the state exchequer.