SHILLONG: Former Meghalaya deputy Chief Minister Bindo Lanong, who had held the Law portfolio in the last government, on Sunday demanded a judicial inquiry into the custodial death of Balsan Sangma.
Lanong recalled that the Supreme Court verdict of 1997 in the case of DK Basu versus State of West Bengal had said that custodial death is one of the worst crimes in a civilized society governed by rule of law.
The order quoting Article 21 of the Constitution of India said that justice cannot be denied to convicts, under trials, detainees or any other prisoner in custody.
Lanong reminded that in another case in the Gauhati High Court, Justice HK Sema in 1993, while hearing the petition of Geeta Sangma, wife of late Francis Sangma, who died in police custody in Dimapur in 1989, said that it was a clear violation of human rights as it was found that the police personnel were responsible for the crime as he died on the same day he was arrested.
The court had also asked the Government to provide compensation of Rs. 1.50 lakh to the family of the victim. The court had even directed the Government to realize the amount from the guilty police personnel.
The UDP working president said that the investigation related to the custodial death of Balsan should be carried out by a judicial body in view of the fact that certain officials were trying to meddle in the matter.