ACC says 67 of 99 plots illegal in Gyelpozhing

Many of the 67 illegal plots are held by the influential and powerful

The Anti Corruption Commission in a press release in its website confirmed that laws and procedures were violated in the allocation of plots in Gyelpozhing town.

The ACC in its release said, “Investigation revealed that of the 99 plots allotted, 67 (14.12 acres) were illegal.”

According to reliable sources a significant number of the 67 illegal plots comprise those held by influential people or their relatives including the Prime Minister, ministers, judges, senior bureaucrats, members of the royal family and plot allotment committee members.

The ACC in its report said, “The Plots Allotment Committee undermined the rule of law and the principle of due diligence, fairness, equity, transparency and check and balance. Most of the members acquired plots in the names of their spouses/relatives, while people who lost their land for the township development were deprived of land even upon repeated request to the Dzongdas.”

The ACC yesterday also issued a ‘freeze notice’ prohibiting any kinds of transaction on 75 plots most of which include the 67 illegal plots.  The plots have been frozen under section 107 of the Anti Corruption Act which says ACC can seize a property when it is satisfied with information that “any immovable property is the subject matter of an offence under this Act or evidence of the commission of such offence.”

The 75 frozen plots include Members of the Royal family, the Prime Minister, Lyonpo Zimba, relatives of Judges, ministers, senior bureaucrats, allotment committee members and others.

According to the ACC the investigation commenced on 20 September 2011. Kashos, laws, rules, criteria and procedures on land in general and plots allotment in particular were examined. The agency also made 3 field visits. Several physical verifications of the plots were conducted jointly with officials from the Municipal Corporation, Monggar. Past plots allotment in Khuruthang and Monggar towns were studied. Over 121 people were interviewed or interrogated.

The determining criteria for plots allotment in townships were (as deduced by ACC from the Kashos and the circular of the then Secretary of Ministry of Social Services): (i) General preference in plots allotment to be given to residents of townships; (ii) Those individuals residing in townships must own a legal business; (iii) Those individuals owning legal businesses themselves must be operating the businesses; and (iv) One family one plot irrespective of the number of licenses they possess. Lottery was only a procedure for plots allotment.

ACC said that the procedure of then allotting these plots were (i) Preparation of eligible list of recipients by Dzongkhag Committee, (ii) scrutiny of the list by the competent ministry, (ii) submission of the list to His Majesty by the competent authority and (iii) distribution of plots to eligible recipients only on receiving the Royal Consent.

The ACC said that the efficacy of the criteria developed was put to test in Khuruthang and Monggar towns in 1996 and 1998.

The ACC in the case of Gyelpozhing found that neither the proper criteria nor procedures were followed.

The release says that the Government had acquired 81.98 acres of land from 71 households of Drepong, Wangling, Ngatshang and Saling Gewogs for the Kurichu Hydropower Project (KHP) and the higher secondary school in 1990s.

His Majesty, the 4th King issued 9 Commands and Kashos on land from August 1980 to January 2003.  His Majesty had commanded with a sense of urgency and deep concern that land being a scarce resource, must be safeguarded and managed well for the future generations. All the Commands reiterated that only His Majesty the King shall grant land to His subjects.

The case was forwarded to the Office of Attorney General on August 31, 2012.

The Gyelpozhing Land grab first came to public spotlight on 15th August 2011 in Media reports. Subsequently the ACC Chairperson in an interview with a weekly paper on 20th August said that ACC would review the case.

The Prime Minister on 26th August 2012 wrote to the ACC saying that there must be an investigation on Gyelpozhing. Prior to this he had given verbal directions for an investigation to the OAG which reached ACC on 25th August.

After the initial media reports the speaker alleging a conspiracy called for a Parliamentary probe to summon people and find out who had shared information on Gyelpozhing. However, in an internal DPT party meeting the Prime Minister and some MP’s advocated an ACC investigation.

The Prime Minister in recent rebuttals in the media and the National Graduates Orientation Program had defended the Gyelpozhing case saying that there was no wrong doing.

The Gyelpozhing case centers on the allocation of municipal plots in Gyelpozhing to influential but ineligible people denying those that actually lost land or fulfilled the criteria. The case involved the violation of Royal Kasho’s on land, Land Act 1979 and allotment procedures.

The time period that this took place was from 1999 to 2002 with issues dragging on in subsequent years.

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84 comments

  1. The cat is out of the bag now but i am skeptical of the action that will be taken against them. Remember the Phobjikha land scam. When the matter reached the court, it said the case pertains to earlier years and it has no authority to prosecute matters retrospectively and i don’t know what happened thereafter.
    In today’s Kuensel article on Gyelposhing case, the legal experts stated that ACC Act is not clear about prosecution and it may not be possible to prosecute the land grabbers retrospectively. What does that mean? It means the this case has reached dead end. I think on this flimsy ground this case will die out and i am sure those people know it very well. Repeatedly the government has clarified that the present government has nothing to do with past cases and the law experts today also says the same.
    So this scam will remain the scam and people will slowly forget it.

    Lets wait and watch

    • Lets wait and watch. I have always maintained that the media should expose corruptions but don’t you think we have too many problems that existed in the past? If anything can be solved, most welcome and nothing like it, but when it can’t be solved it creates lots of dissatisfaction and doubts in the minds of the public. I have been always wondering where to draws the lines between pre and post democratic Bhutan. 

      • Phuntsho, before proclaiming to be a judge n master of English, u have to open ur own closet n see urs. “I have always wondering where to draws the line between …..?” from which angle do u think this is ur master piece writing. Handle ur own grammar first. Looks like u have done copy n paste. Look at ur hair before telling others bald.

      • “It is the responsibility of every Bhutanese to act against corruption in our country”- Royal Kasho issued by 4th Druk Gyalpo.
        “Every person shall have the duty to uphold justice and act against corruption”
        -The constitution of the kingdom of Bhutan.
        The first and foremost step towards retribution is that  all the active beneficiaries who had grabbed public lands, who had bullied commoners, to step forward and admit that they have committed dirty works and give a public apology testitomony.  The OAG must uphold its virtues and bring about justice contrary to just bluntly saying “conflict of interest” exists and justice may not be possible. This very act is blatantly an act of corruption against what constitution mandates.  
        “When injustice becomes law, Rebellion becomes our duty”

        • Lets discuss it wisely. Please control your emotions. Lets not even think of the word rebellion. May be all the lands in Bhutan should be pooled in and redistribute to all its citizens. (What a hideous job it’d be though) 

      • it is good that finally you have realized the truth.. Buddy always remember,” God sees the truth but waits” before you come up with any wrong conclusion of yours.

  2. The Gyelpoizhing land case reminds me of the comment in Jakarta Post which said “WITH GREAT POWER COMES A GREAT CHANCE TO STEAL”. With many of Bhutan’s rich, influential and powerful elite having been allotted hand outs of plots at the expense of village peasants, this was exactly it. Unlike Spiderman, for whom with great power came great responsiblities, with great powers came a great opportunity to grab land and further one’s insatiable greed.

  3. Had there been no media………I would have never known this. Thanks to The Bhutanese on Facebook.

    • If it were not for the ACC and if it were only up to this paper, we would have thought that only the PM, LYZ and the Speaker were allotted land there.

      • How does that help you? Be a little gracious in your defeat. Pity you.

      • Ms/Mr good,
        I remember once, this paper even mentioned few names in addition to the names you have mentioned here in ur comment.

        • Where and when, never saw Yabs name, never saw the names of some members of our royal family.

          • We are more disturbed that elected leaders like JYT, YZ and JT who ran on that “clean image” have a lot of dirt on them afterall. SN is no longer contesting in the elections so why the concern for Yab and royal family again? Pointing fingers at Yab and royal family will be pointing fingers at JYT. They are doubly related and JYT certainly acts more royal than the royals.

  4. Bhutan is a small country with rich people as many outsider says. And today’s kuensel newspaper indicates the land scam case will lead nowhere and it will vanish in the middle of nowhere. if we catch one, there are hundreds or thousands in a queue like that. ordinary people like you and I can only bush-bite and read interesting article vanishing. Polities has really a criminal minds and ACC and ECB can be handicapped. i remember acc have been questioning left and right to one of my distance relatives for just below 2 hundred thousand ngultrums that he worked for 10 years as engineer. it is interesting to read such when it falls to other when that comes to you it is definitely not good. rather then to see and watch these scam things are it should be closed so that headliners are able to live in peace… sarcastic, isn’t it? 

  5. I was also not aware of such cases but thanks to Bhutanese that i knew about it and i follow and wait to see what happens. I am also proud of the anti-corruption commission that they investigated and found the manipulation. I hope the Anti-corruption further investigates all such cases such as trowa theater case, land dispute at Pemagatsheland the city bus cases. All the best!

  6. Now the Main land grabber creature has reached in eastern Dzongkhag. He have grabbed many land in western and southern Bhutan and now eastern. Regarding PM and LYZ its just a 50 decimal and 1 acre by looking at the ACC report.

    As far as I am concerned Speaker as to be put behind bar for helping influentual peoples. He even gifted land to HH Je Khenpo, Lam Namkhai Ningpo of Karchung Monastry.

    To be frank after the ACC report the case was just turned and what we expected was not there.

    • Wat is ur expectation then? U can share here with us…

    • Don’t mention their names of  HH Kyabje Namkhai Nyingpo Rinpoche and Trulku Jigme Cheda Je Khenpo as they are clean and truly Living Bodhisatva.Some vested interested middlemen  Lam Neten and Dzongdas should punished as most of the disturbance and corruption cases are engineered those people benefiting of themselves.They will know how to enhance their career by doing others  works they do a good job of sycophants and  intelligence net work. Hope Bhutan will learn from the past mistakes and continue to  move forward to peace, corruption less and exemplary country to the world. 

  7. We certainly will not be able to prosecute everyone that were allotted land there, so the best thing the OAG can do it to ask the people that were allotted land at Gyelpozhing illegally to surrender the land back to the RGOB and the same should be allotted to the people of that area that had applied earlier.

    Only the Speaker can be held accountable for allowing such a thing to happen.

  8. Speaker is the main culprit, he is a _ _ _ _ _er, He might have done other corruption as well, more investigation has to be done with the people involved. 

  9. I feel ACC should now try to investigate the amount of wealth these people have on their names and their immediate family members.
    If ACC finds disproportionate wealth and they are not able to prove the sources they should be booked and their property should be seized.

  10. if the news reported is true, as par the theme of DPT ” EQUITY & JUSTICE’, there should be proper action in according to the constitution of Bhutan. there are many case of corruption in Bhutan and if it is caught, the justice should be brought in front of public.

  11. Speaker has nothing to feel guilty here. Anyone in his position at that time would have alloted the land when such influential people asked for. Who could have denied them? It was unfortunate that he was in that position.

    • yea, he was unfortunate yet fortunate, very fortunate in fact, his PR stock must have sky rocketed after that, see where he has reached now,,,,,     he doesnt have the quality of a good leader nor a good speaker, what does he do as a speaker anyway in the parliament,,,,,   he was an asswipe then,,,, and now he is enjoy the benefit of those asswipe days as mongar dzongda………

    • If he even had an ounce of good human values in him, he would not have done what he ultimately did. Given the land meant for the poor people of Gyelpozhing to the rich and influential people of the country. I am afraid, the speaker has no defense, in fact because of his bull dozing tactics, it is clear that he did all the allotment himself, all the other members of the land allotment committee will also be in trouble.

    • Being a Dzongda he should know what to do and what not. It doesnt mean that If some Influentual ask for some prime land he can snatch it from poor farmers and give it to them. If this is the case we should consider him as DHALAL not Dasho Dzongda of Mongar at that time. The Bhutanese people should know how the following peoples are in power even if they are not that qualified.

      1.Dzongdha Pem L Dorji,Drangpon Adap Chador, Drangpon Kuenzang Tobgay, and also Present Speaker. As per above situation it is better to be Corrupt than being Loyal. If you folow the rule of law and dont follow the instruction given by Influentual Peoples you will be thrown out from your seat like PCAL former MD.

  12. Am utterly disgusted with the result of the ACC investigation.

    Most people on the list should be ashamed of themselves. Grabbing land which were meant for affected land owners. I wonder how they even sleep at night thinking of their greedy actions which may have affected a poor villager.

    Most people on the list are very powerful and rich. They have land everywhere, including many in Thimphu itself. They won’t even spare land that is in a remote far flung place. Speaks volumes of their greed.

    When the rich and the powerful are involved in such shameful acts of corruption, it even sends out the wrong message to our young people. They would think the only way of getting rich would be through illegal means, and yet we are complaining of youth problems. The problem is they don’t have good role models to look up to. 

  13. This issue will remain forgotten thing of the past because big bosses r involved.
    But the law of the country should remain same for all the people,should it be big boss or ‘gelo’ Sonam. 
    The government blamed rupee crunch to importing cars, where they have not seen this crunch was brought by the many of these corruption cases where big bosses r involved.

  14. if court is really doing fair job, i think even they should charge the royal family and their relatives. not only the other common people. rule means rule it applies   to all Bhutanese living in Bhutan. to be frankly what ever the case is coming it involves one of the royal families relatives. now Bhutan is democratic, people have to raise their voice.

  15. U GUYS DIDN’T KNOW THAT SPEAKER IS ZA HOR GYAP. I KNEW IT WHEN LONG TIME BACK. BY THEN I WAS WANDERING – OMG –  IS HE WORTH TO RECEIVE RED SCARF???????????

    • He always had a reputation of being more of a goon which has been well illustrated by this case where he seems to have doled out government land as if he were the king, he now needs to be stripped of his red kabney.

  16. the current role of the economists/politicians is to keep us alarmed and hence easy to be manipulated….. 
    in six 9 months all these headlines would be forgotten stories.

  17. JYT entered into politics with lots of love and respects from the people of bhutan. But by the end of his tenure he is coming out as a loser. Whatever the outcome might be from the court one thing is sure that DPT under his leadership is going to lose the game of politics. Bhutan is a small country and everyone knows everything about anyone. I hope they are not blind with power. Politics is beyond that.

  18. It was bit of a shocking to see some of the Royal Families name pulled into this controversy. I am certain that the members of the Royal Family named here would have acquired these plots to build something to benefit the people of that region. While I certainly see the point of ACC issuing the names for the freeze list notice, I don’t see any reason why Kuensel has to just publish some names and not the full list. Aside from sensationalising the issue, I believe there are other motives (I hope not politically motivated which seems to be the buzz word these days) as well, but I would leave it upon our learned readers to make up their own mind.

    My personal take on the issue is that the land allotted illegally must be seized and become the property of the state. Thereafter, let His Majesty, the King decide to whomsoever deserves kidu including those who lost land and have been minimally compensated.

    All in all, my sincere request is that let us try not to drag the members of the Royal Family with a view to save those involved in corruption. The land allotment committee must be held responsible and not those who received land. I don’t think that the excuse that the land was illegally allotted based on influences from higher ups hold no grounds since the highest authority in Bhutan (the Druk Gyalpo) has issued decrees to that effect in order to prevent misuse of such powers.

    I just hope that OAG prosecutes the land allocation commitee (as it should be) and not prolong the case by dragging all the recipients since we are determining the legality or illegality of such an allotment. However, the land allocated illegally must be seized without any compensation and become the property of the state so that His Majesty, the King could allot it to the needy ones. 

    Long Live our far sighted Monarchs…

    • As much as my heart would wish the members of our Royal family to be beyond such greed, it may not be possible to absolve them on mere conjecture that the motive behind the land grab was for a noble cause. From what I have seen and heard, I for one have no reasons to believe that there was any such intent.

      • For a noble cause or not, we don’t know that as yet. But I seriously hope they accepted the land without knowing it was illegal.

    • You are giving us your contradictory arguments in one piece. 

    • To be very honest now, I am sure that the members of the Royal family must have been offered land by some of the committee members assuring that everything is legal. In Bhutan, people always look for an opportunity to please some influential people for their own benefits like promotion, transfer, etc etc. These few crooks are responsible for tampering the reputation of our Royal family members and they should be accountable for this.

      I still cannot and will never believe that the Royal family members would personally involve in few decimals. Somebody working for them must have initiated this. Hence, it is important for every influential people to realize that chamchas have their own interest. They would never waive their tails without any reasons.
      I also do not feel proud to see so many names in papers and other media. Yes, naming and shaming is important but we must understand that outside world is watching us as well. For them we are not an individual, we are one Nation one People.

      Having said all above points, it is time that we be satisfied with what we have. I don’t think that there is any family in Bhutan without land to construct a house to live in. 25 decimals ceiling is enough for every family tree. Our Kings have always looked into such welfare and they would continue to do this.

      What did you bring that you would take from this earth?

      • Good insight but what will be the solution? Do we reckon that there were no other problems other than this in the past? Are we forgetting that we lived in a very different situation than now? Should media or any other agency go on investigating all the problems of the past but with no solution? Or should we concentrate on democratic Bhutan whereby corruptions can be prevented, problems can be addressed, laws can be applied without room for misinterpretations, and corrupts can be held accountable? What are we looking for, digging into the past? I for one do not find any peace but chaos. 

        • I agree it was in the past. Some people driven by greed knowingly broke laws. Ok, this is democratic Bhutan now with a constitution and laws. What are the chances these people would not do the same thing and break the current laws? Once a crook, will always be a crook and them not paying the cost for the laws they broke will only give them more courage to do the same again.

          Now ACC needs to find out the people from the list who knowingly accepted illegal land. Your excuse that whatever happened back then should be forgotten does not hold any water. If a person murdered someone 30 years back and is caught now, it is only fair that he be prosecuted now. These bunch of people committed an equal crime, they robbed poor people of their livelihood.

          • Well what do you think is the best solution? Do you have solutions to all the problems of the past? Or are you planning to start a revolution with TL as your head like in Libya, Egypt and Syria. Why do you think the democracy has to be gifted from the throne? You could have fought for it long time ago with the rebel mind of yours. I have always maintained that it is a good thing in principle if we can solve all our problems. How can you hold this government accountable for all the problems of the past? If you forgot, it was a very different situation. Lets not compare a murder a case with corruptions. We had laws then too. But if you think there is a possible solution to every past problem we must go for it but I really doubt man, unless you want to start a revolution. I really do not wish. We must then investigate all the people who served as ministers and top bureaucrats who have so much wealth and asset. We must even investigate business corporations such as Tashi Commercial Comapanies, and then we might even get back to the time of Jigme Namgayl and Zhabdrung. Where should we draw the lines?  

      • Do you think a person is religious/pious if he is given knife to kill someone and he kills it?
        Your assumption is royal families have been given land by someone to earn himself the reward, and says royal families are not guilty. A person is not ethical if he commits corruption just because he is made to do so. Analyze this case study you will understand: You are given poison by someone and you take it knowing that it is poison. Later you land up in problem. So who is the culprit? The one who gave you the poison?-No. It’s both including you.

        Only king can be trusted in our country

    • dema if u think  as it, then why people of punakha were not happy with yab uygen dorji. why ex lynpo sangay nyedup has  lost  the vote to only  a teacher by professional? whatever it is if u think ACC is very powerful, no one should escape . 

    • Anti-corruption

      Just because Royal Families names were there,you meant to say that Kuensel should not publish their name and just publish those normal public’s’ name only?What the shit you are talking about?
      And you are assuming too much here.Let the court investigate and decide on it.Just don’t jump into conclusion saying they have bought for good purpose.Are you sure.
      And can you explain me how Dasho Jigyel’s land has tripled within a short period???

      • It is wrong to point only JT but may be pressurized by  the powerful persons and JYT closely nitted families and made to allot the land in their name.They will continue to loot ,divide(Sects) and make these GNH(Gross National happiness) country into hell like Pakistan,Libya and Syria.Be careful,wake up Bhutan.So much damage has been done to Monger since past disturbance.Vested interests people(Ministers,Trulkus,lamNeten,Dzongdas,Royal Rinpoche) have taken advantage from the situation , grabbed the opportunity  and played very nice politics.They will not allow others(sects) to acquire the land, build the monasteries and to flourish it.They have deceived the public and  looted all the wealth  and brought to justice As a public  appeal we request enough is enough and dont boil the country 

    • I agree with you. This so called politicians are dragging our royal family to clean up their mess. I know JYT is a crook. He might have done all this things.

      Long live our Kings.

  19. It is not the members of the land committee who decided to give land to these people on the list. Committee members have time and again expressed their frustration that Jigme Tshultrim, then Dzongda bulldozed everyone to allot land. Why should the poor fellows be punished. I am sure none of them  got land. JT has land in his son’s name. He is the ring leader. I can’t believe the first  democratically elected NA Speaker of Bhutan is the ring leader  of  the biggest land scam of Bhutan. It is a known fact that he has  always been  a big bully.

    These people should be ashamed that  they have possessed the land illegally. They are not illiterate, it was their duty to find out how the land was being allotted. As ordinary citizens, even we knew how the Government land was allotted. 

  20. For kidu Committee members should comprise of the following to maintain check and balance and transparency:
    1. Gyelpoi Zimpon- Chairman, 2. Secretary of the Land Commission as a member/Member Secretary, 3. MOAF Secretary- member; 4. Home Secretary- Member, 5. One Member from the NC, 6. One Member from the MP and 7. Cabinet Secretary as Member

  21. All involved should be named. But it is for court to decide whether they acquired legally or illegally.

  22. See even the ministers can be chamcha to his boss. Few weeks back i have seen LYonpo Khandu Wangchuk speaking to the members of DPT declaring that There was no such issues that Lyonchen and LYZ involved in Land Scam. Now Anti corrupt Commission has declared that they are main culprits. Will the DPT members now trust their corrupted and Chamcha leaders i will say no never in their life.

    • I don’t know about others, but if I were given the land at that time I would have timidly accepted it. If anybody offer me anything now, I will have to think seriously. 

      This is only a tip of the iceberg of the past. If the iceberg can be thawed and dissolved into the sea of normalcy, nothing like it, we must aspire and go for it. But I do not see any solution to the huge iceberg-problems of the past. It will only disappoint us. 

      Nevertheless, everything of ‘Gyelpozhing scam’ has been stripped naked by ACC according to their findings and interpretations, lets wait and see how OAG and the courts play the ball. Whatever the outcome, JYT will certainly contest the election and it won’t be a surprise if his party form a government again. 

      • By looking at how you vigorously defend the corrupted, its no surprise you would timidly knowingly accept an illegal land. People who think along the same lines flock together. Who knows, you could very well be one of the people in the list.

        We don’t know what the OAG will do or not do and what the outcome will be, but you seem to be very sure that JYT will be contesting in the next elections. As far as we know, anyone convicted for corruption or any crime will not be eligible for contesting in the elections. Do you know something we don’t know? Has the OAG already been told what to do?

        • Have I defended anybody here? And don’t play a God mister. You’d be a million time more corrupted than I am. Your daily dealings sound like you are a cheat.  Just wait and see if JYT gets to contest the election or not. Go and refresh the ECB rules if you want.
          All the people involved remain accused for now. None of them have been convicted yet. By the way, it is the court not TL or ACC who passes the judgement. 

          Well I’d be a happier person if my name was also in the list. I am sure you’d too.
           
          When you write ‘we’ how many people do you represent? Or do you simply think that just because your jaundiced eyes see the things yellow, you assume others will see the same. On the other hand, I am never certain, you aside, even my close friends will think like me unless I hear it from them. 

          The main point, I do not defend any corrupt people here. I am just throwing my opinions as how I see things evolve. You and I both know that, all these expressions are made possible because its a democracy. Do you even remember that, this reported once wrote in his fb status that ‘he doesn’t want democracy’ , thereby seriously undermining the good vision of our Monarchs. 

  23. Sangay Thinley

    Where is Mr. “The Monk” at this time. I miss his replies. May be he is too exhausted… WITH EXCUSES!!!!

  24. Since the allotment of plots were not in consistent with the criteria laid down by the higher authority, there find no legal ground to prosecute those beneficiaries. The allotment committee members chaired by the then Dzongdag are responsible for all these lapses. The plots which were illegally allotted without fulfilling the eligibility criteria must be de-registered and the beneficiaries should not be implicated. The concerned agencies to oversee the process of registration vested with registration authority at that time should also be accountable for all these cause of shortfalls.

  25. JYT gave all the wrong justifications for all his wrong doings. He must very well know that he and his mates won at the cost of some culprits involved in PDP and not because he was the only man. I too voted him but after hearing all these and also he asking Land Commission and proving his corrupted VP Chang Ugye to replace land from other Dzongkhags has left many people unsatisfied. He in the capacity of PM is doing more destruction to the law of the land.
    Bhutanese are not fools and one must always expect the unexpected like in 2008 voting. Lets watch the game!!!

  26. Congratulations to Dasho Aum Naten for her fist big catch. You make us proud as Bhutanese. It is also proved beyond doubt that whatever this paper’s team reported so far has been true. Good job guys. Keep us informed the same.

  27. More than anything else I am disappointed by the people that were illegally allotted land at Gyelpozhing, not even one of them has taken the high moral road by offering to return the land to the RGOB so that it can be re-allotted to someone who had been deprived earlier in-spite of fulfilling the criteria for being eligible for land at Gyelpozhing.

  28. Hats off to Tenzin Lhamsang and his team ,the bhutanese..!

  29. Better,

    It is important that everyone who got land there be named if a paper wants to be seen as being credible or unbiased, maybe for you as an individual it is not, however as the the 4th estate, it is the duty of the media to give the full story. See, even people like Agey Haap, who always writes against the PM, now sees this Gyelopzhing land scam in a very different light after the names of many other big shots have come out.

    • Good,

      I am amazed at the nonsense coming out of you. Your futile attempts to discredit this paper shows us how desperate you are, looking for excuses. You seem to think that this paper knew everyone involved in this case. If you think they were trying to intentionally hide other people, you are wrong. If they had knowledge of everything and if they wanted to hide the involvement of certain people, they would not have started this whole affair in the first place.

      When they published stories about this case issue after issue, they did so knowing at the end everyone involved will be exposed. Now, ACC has listed everyone involved in this case. We cannot expect the paper to do everything and publish the full story. This paper gave the starting point for ACC, and ACC has finished it, and at the end of it, we all knew the whole story. You might want to know, getting information is difficult in Bhutan. And the government wants to keep it that way, by delaying the RTI time after time.

  30. Dorji Tshering

    The Bhutanese must start investigation on land grab between Hotel Management institute to Phajoding by so called Ashis below BBS tower…

  31. Now ACC must also investigate the case involving Principal.

  32. The Gyalpoishing scam is a perfect example of what could happen if a scarce resourcelike land is left to politicians or bureaucrats (dzongdag and gups). Great opportunities can bring either the best or the worst in human beings. In our case, there is now every reason to predict the worst.

    Politicians will take away land citing public needs and redistribute them to appease influential people and to reward their party workers. Bureaucrats will play chamcha-giri and fast track themselves into good books gaining for themselves promotions, influence, marriage for their children and good lives.

    I say, let’s learn from this mistake, ponder on it and place our trust and faith in the only institution we can – the monarch. 

  33. Tshering Tashi

    I knew from the beginning that our Prime minister who we the Butanese tend to believe as the best orator with high IQ is one of the most corrupt person in Bhutan.

  34. I think it is becoming more and more obvious that there are wolves amongst us in sheeps’ clothing.slowly they are showing their true colours  by revealing their real intentions.
    Sowing seeds of discord amongst us,referring to the Royal Family (right now it is simply implying ) but soon they will show their hand.let us not allow these wolves to overpower us .sons and daughters of Pelden Drukpa remember we need to  pull together and sort out our problems Together.
    No one is perfect,if we look at ourselves we will see how much we have hidden,which we would hate to see exposed.
    Let us not fall into the trap of devious players who are taking advantage of the smallness of our society,where everything gets magnified.we are not bad but we could be better.so let us put politics aside and think together for the betterment of our people and the peace and stability of our country!

    • We have a choice. I choose to forget the past and not drag the members of Royal Family. I choose to concentrate on democratic Bhutan. I choose to remember, cherish and rejoice the era of Monarchy as very peaceful one. But there are people who’d like to dig into the past and create doubts in the minds of innocent people. I really don’t understand the motive of this paper, I don’t know if TL is serving the interest of some people who would like to destabilize the country and its heritage, but we can infer on our own what his articles are implying. Time definitely will tell us. 

      • I understand ur good intention on safeguarding our royal family and democratic Bhutan. I also want same. But the question is of zero tolerance, the very statement which came from the highest being. So, the question is whether to uphold it or make an exception for few, if so, it would destroy the very foundation of the same cause. 

        I and many people like me, we don’t have anything against ministers or pm or rf or u. As every one of us enjoy watching small fishes being prosecuted now and then by ACC, police, court, likewise it would not be fair to leave a room for some to misuse their power. 

        Today the victims are like us ordinary citizen, tomorrow it can be me, him, her, anybody, what then. If we don’t speak up now then we will be in silence forever. 

        I salute all the good deeds, works and etc done in the past by this people but it does not give them license to balance it by doing bad things. 

        The reason why we support people like TL and TheBhutnese is that it shows fact and not fiction which is proven by ACC investigation, even if we are blind now then what is the use of our eyes, ears, mouth. God gave us all this beautiful things to do good works.

        I hope u understand the gravity of our future here. If we want our future better, we have to make our present right which can be done only if we have don’t good things in the past. That is why past is important. We cannot forgive people just because the bad things and corrupt things was done in the past. If this people have taken away ur undying opportunity then would u forgive them, so that they can do more of this things to others.

        This country is for the people and not for influential people. I want a better Bhutan so that I can feel proud to live in, leave behind for my children and their children and not in the hands of corrupt people. If they enjoy all the luxury of being influential people then they should also pay for their deeds.

      • Yes, I also feel that we should concentrate on cases after the new government was formed. The politicians everybody is blaming took birth from 2008. Hence, their actions after 2008 should be microscopically investigated.

        Had Royal family members wanted to grab lands intentionally, then whole Gyelpozhing could have been registered in their names. Why few decimals? Please think over.

        I still feel that it is not wise for our fellow citizens to drag the members of the Royal Family.

        • Dungpa and Puntsho what you all have in your head may be just cow drungs. Let the media,Acc,OAG and other orginisation do their job. They knows far better than you guys and given the revelent post. For me culprits has to be punished.

          • I might have cow dungs in my head but you got a poison in it. Correct, let ACC, OAG and Court do their job. Why do you have to preempt the result? 

  35. Phunstho:
    Are you saying there was no existence of Law during the era of Monarchy? There was clear rule/Law, these people have taken advantage and they should be brought to the justice. Anything which is done beyond the Law, all should be punished.

    People should assess and judge that there was a blatant misuse and disregard of Laws/by-laws, criteria and prevailing norms for their advantage. It was total miscarriage of JUSTICE and they have taken the laws in their Hand. People involved in such cases should be brought to justice even if it happened several decades. Otherwise people of this country will heavily feel justice is not prevalent in this country.
    Prevalence of INJUSTICE in the country means a clear sign of prevalence of ANARCHY! May God save Bhutan.

  36. Phuntsho:
    In our honest view, you really need to see such cases very objectively and able to see the broader picture. This is a case where there are collusions almost an organised method to grab the wealth. Should this case be shelved, the 700,000 brothers and sisters of this nation will not be able to digest, let alone questioning and losing respects to our leaders.

    Yes, it happened prior to democracy, then are you questioning our Monarchs stating that there was no proper system. These bunch of Ministers and others have violated in spite of having clear criteria, rules and framework for allotting land as clearly stated by ACC and some are posted in the Cabinet Website along with the LJYT Press Release- you can have a look.

    If not handled properly, this will lead to miscarriage of justice and such act needs proper investigation even if it happened several decades back. For God sake, you do not try to breach the rule of Law which is important for the sake of nationhood. It is better to honourably accept if the prevailing criteria/framework have been violated rather than defending with no substance. Mind you, all of us as responsible citizen, it could happen to us and we need to be responsible for it. People in the village contribute tax, work hard in the field, they do not get hefty/fat salary and allowances like Ministers and influential family.

    The land need to be publicly auctioned or give to zimpon’s office for kidu to landless people. People involved in Gelephu land case including Dasho Drangpon – what happened? Samtse mining? Education Ministry? MOH? Forestry officials? This needs careful handling of the case and finally should arrive at win-win situation.
    Should this case be de-railed, people will request the government to frame two Laws one for “small fish” and the other for the “Big Fish”. I guess, there are so many ways to honourably accept the mistakes if what ACC has stated is true instead of defending unnecessarily without substance and concrete Rules/criteria to back up.

  37. sombaykha2012

    We now have another independent body trying to demonstrate its independence at the cost of the elected govt.

    Earlier it was the Supreme Court that pronounced a judgment that was so much in conflict with the prevailing laws. Laws had to be amended during the very next session of the parliament.

    While the govt silently accepted the guilty verdict, the Supreme Court established beyond any doubt its independence. And that was good for democracy I guess. Like wise ACC has followed suit. I wonder.

    Although the present govt has nothing to do with the actions taken by the local govt over ten years ago, ACC has declared over 70% of the plots allotted illegal, raising the clear possibility that such could be the case with all other townships. Can you imagine what this could lead to?

    Khuruthang and Mongar townships have been compared to Gyalpozhing.
    The absurdity of this lies in the fact that they are incomparable.

    k/thang was a new township built specifically to relocate the old temporary punakha township that was located at the entrance of the punakha bridge.

    Monger township involved the re-planning and restructuring of the old temporary township. Both were built for existing shopkeepers and license holders and both had barely enough plots to accommodate all of them.

    G/zhing on the other hand was an entirely new township for new residents and businessmen – which BTW has failed to become a commercial area even today. It would be ridiculous to apply the same terms and conditions which wud ve meant that only the monger town shopkeepers would have qualified.

    Let us wait for the process to take its course and make hurried judgment esp. when we are at risk of being influenced by individuals and groups.

  38. Dear Friends,

    Lets come to the bottom-line: There is clear conflict of interest. OAG instructs the ACC to prosecute all the land-grabbers irrespective of their status or title. Then judiciary uses the same yardstick to pass the verdict. Then prison services division of RBP takes daily attendance till the end of their sentences. PS. returning the land to govt. in lieu of punisgment is a solution as someone suggested. The Land returns automatically to the rightful owner, i.e., govt or original owner.

  39. I really fail to understand why Royal families names….that also all queen mothers except the main queen mother…are they on the build for themselves…..i alys feel royal does everything for the people and every part of Bhutan is theirs and Royalty is paid….so why this?

    Hope this is not true….and its all hoax

  40. sombaykha2012:
    Anything carried out without fairness, I am against it. If people have made mistakes and regret for it, that is a different matter (after all we are human being!). But the way you approach for this case, you are intending to cover up and support the grave violation instead of coming up which is fair, just, within the acceptable means. Therefore, I as individual would like to strongly oppose to your comments, may be these people are your direct relatives or you may be yourself a direct beneficiary:
    (1) Our farsighted Monarchs crafted a very clear criteria, Rules, framework for allocating land
    (2) These people have just taken the land in Gyelposhing without much concern as if anything can work for them, as if they can acquire any land from any Dzonkhags.
    (3) Mind you, these very elite groups of people as Ministers, senior officers and influential family are beneficiary of hefty/salary, allowances, expensive PRADOS and LANDCRUISERS, enjoy immense respects and influence. But you know – they should also restrain from such temptation of grabbing the wealth to become rich overnight at the expense of others and instead act and earn respects from the people if they wish remain as respected citizens in the society. If they are sensible enough, each time they ride on these expensive PARDOS/LANDCRUISERS, they must be feeling guilty of having deprived the basic comforts of the common citizens as the money saved from these could have gone to the development Projects.
    (4) In one of the great speeches of Dr. Abdul Kalam, a former President of India, he made a reference to the importance of INTEGRITY and respect for the Law: He stated that for people to be successful, higher qualification, higher aim, and INTEGRITY are most important values and factors. He further states that it is easier to gain higher qualification and easier to aim high, but what is quite often difficult for our leaders is to working with INTEGRITY.

    In fact he caution that, leaders who work with INTEGRITY will succeed with INTEGRITY and leaders who do not work with INTEGRITY will not succeed in this 21st century. The challenge is quite often many people in their temptation for various reasons compromise their INTEGRITY and leaders who do not compromise their INTGRITY is what makes them great and different from other leaders.

    People involved in the Gyelposhing have blatantly violated all prevailing criteria, Rules, Laws in their temptation of amassing the land. I know, they are still feeling guilty of the action they have committed and sometimes must be feeling a shame of their deeds, if they are sensible leaders and which they ought to be.
    Going by the definition of Dr. Abdul Kalam’s definition, do you think our leaders and influential family work with INTEGRITY and succeed with INTEGRITY or they need to demonstrate more to earn genuine respects and not the artificial respects in which we Bhutanese are known for?

  41. the Prime Minister, ministers, judges, senior bureaucrats, members of the royal family and plot allotment committee members . **** if these people are charged by the court then yes we can say that we are living in a GNH filled country,,,and also in a 0% tolerances to corruption . If not then it just matter of time that our country will be not less then the world top silence corrupt countries ..and ya look WHAT MR DUNGPA Comments he says ”  I am sure that the members of the Royal family must have been offered land by some of the committee members assuring that everything is legal. ” BULL SHIT man how sweetly u defended… 

  42. Better surrender all the plots to the Government irrespective of family status otherwise public will view as Most learned Thieves and disgraceful in the History .

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