By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The hearing of the costliest and the longest Judicial Inquiry Commission probing the Shillong jail break ended on Friday with the conclusion of arguments by SCAMOD which is insisting on the fake encounter killing of the Jailbreak mastermind Fullmoon Dhar, whereas the Government is denying the same.
An official associated with the Justice (retd) SP Rajkhowa Commission said that the report of the Commission will be submitted to the Government by January 11 next.
The inquiry so far has cost the State Exchequer over Rs 1 crore (Rs 1,07,73,997) and took almost three years to complete.
While December 4 and 5 was allotted to the Steering Committee Against Murder of Democracy (SCAMOD) to put forward its arguments, December 6 and 7 were allotted to the Government lawyers.
The SCAMOD has been pursuing the jail break case since 2009.
It was on July 23, 2009 that the Government had first appointed Justice (retd) D Biswas to conduct the judicial probe into the Shillong Jail break episode when seven under trial prisoners fled from the jail in a suspicious manner on May 31, 2009.
Since Biswas was appointed as Up-Lokayukta in Assam in April 2010, he could not complete the task. Later, the Government on August 20, 2010 appointed the SP Rajkhowa Commission of Inquiry.
The Inquiry Commission has already witnessed many extensions since the time it was constituted.
Additional Advocate General Dr BP Todi who was arguing from the Government side had to step in during the last few hearings as senior Supreme Court lawyer KTS Tulsi from Delhi did not attend the last few hearings of the Inquiry Commission.
“We have completed the hearing today and now the Commission will deliver its judgment on January 11,” Dr Todi said.
Reacting to the cost incurred and time consumed for the jail break inquiry, SCAMOD leader Agnes Kharshiing said, “When we have advocate generals, why do we need to bring lawyers from outside.”
The inquiry commission was set up to find out the truth which led to the jail break and alleged fake encounter of Fullmoon Dhar, one of the UTPs who was shot dead in Jaintia Hills by the police a day after the jail break.
SCAMOD leader Kharshiing, who is spearheading the entire inquiry, said, “Our lawyer has worked very hard to present the case.”
When asked about the entire issue, she said, “We know Fullmoon Dhar was notorious but the fact is that they can create more Fullmoon Dhars which society does not want.
“No one including the lawmakers has any right to shoot anyone,” she added.
Earlier during his submission to the Commission on December 6 and 7, Dr Todi argued that the encounter was real and the police had to resort to this for self defense since Fullmoon Dhar was armed.
Dr Todi also told the Commission that allegations of SCAMOD that the former DGP Anil Pradhan and politicians effected the jail break were mere presumptions.
He also conveyed to the Commission that those jail staffs involved in the jail break were terminated and even charges sheeted.
