We have solid proof of SKM’s land deals, people deserve the truth, says CAP Spokesperson
Gurung said that concerned citizens had secretly shared certain documents with the party that point towards large-scale misuse of power by ministers and former ministers of the SKM party.
LOCAL
The Citizen Action Party (CAP) has made allegations against senior leaders of the ruling Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM) party, accusing them of acquiring properties that once belonged to the royal family of Sikkim and other important public buildings meant for the people.
Speaking at a press conference in Gangtok on Saturday, CAP spokesperson Albert Gurung, accompanied by fellow party spokesperson Mahesh Rai, addressed the media and the people of Sikkim. Gurung said the purpose of the press conference was to reveal the truth about “dark activities” happening under the present government which, he said, had been hidden from the public for too long.
Gurung said that concerned citizens had secretly shared certain documents with the party that point towards large-scale misuse of power by ministers and former ministers of the SKM party. He said that even though CAP had raised these issues earlier, the SKM government had ignored them. “Now we have solid proof,” Gurung said.
He referred to a government cabinet memorandum—Memo No. 90 LRN DMD ACQ GOS, dated 24 September 2021—that shows a property belonging to the former monarch, Chogyal Wangchuk Namgyal, was purchased by Hissey Choden Bhutia, who is allegedly the wife of the Chief Minister’s Chartered Accountant, Madhu Kumar Pradhan. Later, this property was transferred to the wife of a sub-inspector in the Sikkim Police.
“We want to ask: How can the wife of a sub-inspector afford such an expensive property? Where did the money come from?” Gurung questioned.
He further alleged that other individuals close to the government also acquired land from the royal estate. Among them is Tempa Gyaltsen Lepcha, son of former minister Kungani Lepcha, and current SKM minister Sonam Lama, who is officially known as Sonam Bhutia.
CAP presented figures showing sharp increases in the wealth of these ministers. In 2014, Sonam Lama had declared assets worth ₹16 lakh. This increased to ₹1.27 crore in 2019 and then to ₹7.18 crore in 2024. Similarly, Kungani Lepcha’s assets grew from around ₹53 lakh to over ₹20 lakh in declared personal value in recent years, raising concerns over the source of this growth.
Gurung also referred to a letter sent to the Chief Minister that accused Minister Sonam Lama of taking control of the Tathanchhen Community Centre, which was built using public funds. “We even have WhatsApp photos that show the building, which should belong to the people, is now under his family’s control,” Gurung added.
Another major concern raised was about the DG Bungalow, which was once the official residence of the commanding officer of the Sikkim Guard before the merger with India. It had hosted many prominent officials, including the current Chief Minister himself in the past. “Now even this historic bungalow has become private property under the minister’s control,” Gurung alleged.
The Citizen Action Party said that the Ecclesiastical Department, which is supposed to protect Sikkim’s religious and heritage sites, is also being misused by ministers and MLAs, with reports of heritage buildings being taken over and turned into personal property.
In a strong message to the SKM government, Gurung said, “We are not here to just make noise. If the ministers think these allegations are false, they should come forward and give a clear explanation to the public. If any of these charges are true, we expect them to resign.”
He also referred to an official cabinet note which admits that the issue of Chogyal’s private estate remains unsettled even after four decades since Sikkim’s merger with India. Yet, the government has gone ahead and allowed transactions of these properties.
Gurung concluded by saying that while individuals have the right to buy private property, it is completely wrong and dangerous if government buildings and historical sites are being taken over by those in power. “Being a minister for 12 years doesn’t give anyone the right to grab public property,” he said. “This must end.”
The Citizen Action Party has called on the people of Sikkim to remain alert and demand accountability. They said the truth must come out, and the people must decide if they want leaders who treat public property as their own. The ball, they said, is now in the government’s court.