SHILLONG: While East Khasi Hills police made a euphoria over the surrender of ANLCA cadre identified as Charles Charles D Shira (25) in full media glare, he landed up in the custody of Nongstoin police and is languishing in Shiilong jail without getting bail.
The ANLCA cadre hailing from Dalbot-A, Shallang,West Khasi Hills,surrendered before East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police M Kharkrang and in the presence of many police officials on March 4 here.
After the surrender, the cadre was sent by the East Khasi Hills police to the police reserve with an intention to rehabilitate him along with other surrendered cadres. However, on March 7 police from Nongstoin took him and kept him under their custody.
Earlier, during the surrender ceremony, he had deposited one AK-56 rifle, one magazine of AK-56, eight rounds of 7.65mm live ammunition, one round of 7.62mm live ammunition, eight rounds of .303 ammunitions and one .32 pistol magazine.
A lawyer dealing with the case said the police made a mockery of surrender ceremony as he was tortured after he was formally arrested.
‘Neither food nor water was given to him while he was in police custody”, the lawyer alleged.
There is criticism that while large number of former HNLC leaders including Julius Dorphang, who is the current MLA from Mawahti, surrendered before the police, they were not tried for their pending criminal cases unlike the case of Charles.
Charles had earlier complained to his wife about torture he faced in police custody at Nongstoin.
After the cadre was lodged in judicial custody, the lawyer of the cadre had moved a bail petition in the court of District Magistrate, Nongstoin, but in vain as red tape has delayed his release.
The lawyer is now planning to approach the High Court of Meghalaya on the matter.
