Imphal: Former Manipur Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh, who was quizzed by the CBI over alleged financial irregularities in the Manipur Development Society (MDS) during his tenure as its chairman, said he held the post only for a year and did not have any power to authorise transactions.
Speaking to reporters after being quizzed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for nearly three hours at his residence at Babupara here, the Congress leader denied any wrongdoing.
Singh said he was the chairman of the MDS from July 2013 to August 2014, and "during that short tenure" he only chaired one annual general body meeting, denying reports that he held the post for seven-eight years.
He said he took up the post "after being requested by the then chief secretary".
"As per the rules of the MDS, there is no role of the chairman. Any type of transaction, sanction and signing of cheques are done by the project director. Hence, the chairman is not aware of it," Singh said.
"I didn't open any bank account in connection with MDS, never signed a single cheque," he said, adding that he was never a joint signatory as the chairman.
The three-time former chief minister along with four other former chairmen of the MDS is facing allegation of embezzling funds amounting to Rs 332 crore.