DGP’s domestic help murder case
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Even after four years of the murder of the domestic help, Rinehskhem Kharsohnoh, who was working at the residence of former Director General of Police WR Marbaniang, not even a single trial into the case has taken place till date.
The trial in the case has not yet started despite the CBI submitting the final charge sheet against Marbaniang for allegedly tampering with evidence and his orderly Arwil Sangma, a police constable, for murdering the maid.
However there are fresh hopes for settlement of the case as the next hearing of the case will be held on September 2 at the Court of the Additional District Magistrate in Shillong.
It may be mentioned that Marbaniang, who is currently serving as the Director General of Civil Defense and Home Guards will retire on August 31 which means that there is no provision for taking any action at present since no trial has taken place till date.
A lawyer who is dealing with the case said the trial was delayed due to the transfer of the case across various courts in Shillong.
The case was first taken up in the court of the Additonal District Magistrate. Later, the case was transferred to the Court of the Additional District and Sessions Judge in Shillong, B Giri, who was also exercising powers of the Additional District Magistrate.
After Ms Giri was promoted as a district judge the case was again transferred to the court of Additional District Magistrate RR Marak.
Even as the hearing on framing of charge was held many times, the actual trail is yet to begin due to the frequent transfer of cases.
The prosecution is yet to examine more than 100 witnesses in the court, sources informed, adding the CBI had examined more than 100 witnesses before filing the final charge sheet.
It may be mentioned that on March 7, 2007 Kharsohnoh, working as a domestic help at the residence of Marbaniang was found murdered. Following the incident, Marbaniang was removed from his post and posted as Director General of Civil Defense and Home Guards following pressure from different NGOs.
The accused, Constable Arwil Sangma, who had an affair with the maid, had a fight with her and in a fit of rage he slit her throat with a kitchen knife.
Marbaniang had, earlier, insisted that it was a suicide case and not homicide, but later the sub-ordinate police officials had told the court that two post mortem reports had indicated it to be murder.
The CBI in its charge sheet submitted in 2009 had also indicted Marbaniang for concealing evidence related to the case.
Sangma, who was arrested, had confessed to his crime and the knife used for killing the maid was also recovered, but the culprit managed to secure bail.
Sangma was later charge sheeted by the CBI under section 302 of IPC for committing murder.
The CBI after examining as many as 110 witnesses held former DGP Marbaniang responsible for causing disappearance of evidence under section 201 and 203 of IPC.