Items vanish from ex-Speaker, deputy speaker’s bungalows

In what has come as serious embarrassment for the Assam government, many costly appliances, like LED televisions, air conditioners and refrigerators, bought using public money have gone missing from the official quarters of former Speaker Pranab Gogoi and former deputy speaker Bhimananda Tanti.

Former Speaker Pranab Kumar Gogoi was allotted a posh bungalow in the Assembly premises in which Assembly secretariat had set up as many as 22 ACs and six large-screen TVs, besides two refrigerators.

After the selection of new Speaker when Assembly secretariat went to take over the possession of the bungalow, it was found that at least three ACs, one fridge and one LED TV were missing.

Former deputy speaker Bhimananda Tanti was also allotted a new bungalow. He vacated the bungalow designated for deputy speaker after losing the Assembly election.

Secretariat sources said that two ACs were missing from Mr Tanti’s bungalow. The Assam Assembly principal secretary Mrigendra Kumar Deka confirmed the news.

“We have learnt that three ACs, a fridge and a TV set which went missing from speaker’s were shifted to the new quarter of the MLA hostel which has been alloted to him. We don’t know about the two ACs missing from the bungalow allotted to the former deputy speaker,” said Mr Deka.

The employees of the Assembly secretariat who had been looking after the maintenance of official bungalows said that even expensive curtains were missing when possession of the bungalow was handed over to them.