Kohima: The United Sangtam Likhüm Pümji cleared Kiphire Deputy Commissioner Temsuwati Longkumer of charges involving unauthorized 10 percent deductions from National Highway 202 land compensation. The controversy started October 1, 2026, when a letter from Tsathrise Rudy, also known as Tsathrise Sangtam, went viral. The document accused the official of five instances of misconduct, including the kickback scheme affecting four regions.
USLP leaders met October 6 to demand proof from the complainant. The complainant refused to provide documentation to third parties. On October 8, the group established a five-member fact-finding committee to investigate the claims. They delivered their findings on October 16 and reviewed the results October 17.
Landowners in Longmatra told investigators the DC never forced or demanded any percentage of their payments. Phelungre Village Council also denied receiving instructions regarding such deductions. Door-to-door checks in the town area yielded signed declarations calling the accusations false. The USLP concluded the DC never issued any order for these cuts. The organization stated, "disciplinary action could be pursued in accordance with the committee's recommendations if concrete evidence emerged in the future."
The USLP plans to meet the DC to discuss the four other allegations mentioned in the viral letter. They intend to address operational shortcomings directly. If those claims hold weight, the group will push the state government to fix the issues.
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