Spl court to pursue three murder cases, damage suit

ILP agitation
SHILLONG: Three murder cases and over Rs 31 crore damage suit filed against 14 pressure groups, will be followed up by the Government even after the withdrawal of 92 criminal cases.
The 92 criminal cases withdrawn by the Government are those registered under Meghalaya Maintenance of Public Order (MMPO) Act for damage to property of individuals and the Government, arsons and assaults resulting in injuries among others.
However, the pending cases related to the death of three persons after they were set on fire during the agitations demanding implementation of ILP in 2013, will be pursued by the Special Court.
The murder cases of 2013 due to petrol bomb attacks are of city residents , 74-year-old woman  Vidyadevi Chowkani (74), at Police Bazar on October 26, trader  Bikash Nandwal (44)  at Motphran on October 9  and Bisheshwar Kumar Das (50) at Bishnupur on November 16.
Special Assistant Public Prosecutor Advocate S Kumar told The Shillong Times on Friday that besides three murder cases, the damage suit meant to recover money from those who sponsored agitations demanding implementation of ILP will be taken by the Special Court.
The next hearing of the damage suit has been fixed for June 6 next.
Kumar said that while the pressure groups, Civil Society Women’s Organization(CSWO) , All India Garo Union (AIGU) and  Synjuk Seng Samla Shnong (SSSS) attend  the hearing  of the Special Court, the leaders of remaining 11 groups  abstained from the hearing.
Earlier, the Special Court had, on several occasions  summoned the presidents and general secretaries of the KSU, FKJGP, GSU, Hynniewtrep National Youth Front (HNYF),  All Jaintia Youth Welfare Organisation (AJYWO), Jaintia Youth Federation (JYF), Jaintia Students’ Union (JSU), Ri Bhoi Youth Federation (RBYF), Khasi Women Welfare and Development Association (KWWADA), Association of Democratic Empowerment (ADE) and A’chik Youth Welfare Organization (AYWO) to appear in the court in person or through their advocate, but they failed to be present in the Court.
The status of the damage suit is that a list of witnesses, both the Government and the private individuals, will be submitted to the Special Court following which evidence will be taken and arguments will be heard .Later, the Court will pass the order.