Pro-ILP groups may give a slip
SHILLONG: The pro-ILP groups are unlikely to appear before the Special Court which had fixed a hearing on the damage suit on Tuesday.
The damage suit was filed by the Government against the pressure groups to ensure that they compensate the damages caused during the ILP related agitations.
However, the CSWO President Agnes Kharshiing, who recently decided not to resort to any agitations in future, has decided to appear before the Court headed by First Class Judicial Magistrate R. Rymbai.
Kharshiing said that she would seek more time to reply to the charges.
Meanwhile, the NGOs from Garo Hills have to come to Shillong to appear before the Special Court on Tuesday. There are indications that they may not turn up for the hearing.
The Court, on November 7, had sent notices to all the 14 pro-ILP groups to appear on December 3 failing which, the court said the damage suit will be heard and determined in their absence.
In the first phase, Government has filed the damage suit of over Rs 31 crore to be realized from all the agitating pressure groups.
As per the damage suit ‘State of Meghalaya versus Khasi Students Union and others’, the leaders of pressure groups can appear in person or by a pleader and they should be able to answer all questions in the Court.
The suit also said that if anyone wants to contest the claim, he or she can produce witnesses and documents in support of their defence on a date to be fixed by the Court.
If the pressure groups admit the claim of the Government in whole or in part, the Court will pass judgement in accordance with such admissions.
As per the suit, if the claim is not contested at all, the suit will be decided at once.
The Government has relied upon the provisions of Meghalaya Maintenance of Public Order Act to recover the damages caused during the agitations called by the pressure groups.
Notices on Kharshanlor’s door: Meanwhile, the door and some portions of the windows of the house of HNYF president GH Kharshanlor at Mawlai are full of summon notices issued by various police stations in the city.
HNYF is part of the pro-ILP pressure groups demanding the implementation of ILP. As many as nine notices were pasted on the door which was locked from outside.
The notices served to Kharshanor asking him to appear before the investigating officer by the end of November and December 1 in connection with cases under Meghalaya Maintenance of Public Order Act were from the police stations of Mawlai, Lumdiengjri, Shillong Sadar and also from Pasture Beat House.
Police are hunting for Kharshanlor and other prominent leaders of the pressure groups.
Kharshanlor was not available for comments on the matter.