SHILLONG: Two years into the formation of Special Court to deal with the damage suit of over Rs 31 crore for the damages caused to both private and public properties during the ILP agitations, the hearing of the Special Court is still at a snail’s pace.
The State Government initially intended to complete the trial on a fast track mode, but in vain.
The status of the case is that the Government is yet to provide the list of full witnesses including the names of DCs, SPs and OCs to the Court, sources said on Wednesday.
The Special Assistant Public Prosecutor has received the names of only a few witnesses related to the case which will be forwarded to the court.
During the ILP agitations sponsored by 14 pressure groups in 2013, the Government-constituted the Special Court to deal with two sets of cases, one criminal case under Meghalaya Maintenance of Public Order Act and another, damage suit over Rs 31 crore for the destruction of properties during the agitations.
Sources said that while the Special Court was prompt to withdraw the criminal cases filed under Meghalaya Maintenance of Public Order Act as per the request of the State Government, such enthusiasm was not shown in disposing of the damage suit.
Out of the 14 pressure groups only two, All India Garo Union and Civil Society Women’s Organization had contested the case and appeared during the few hearings held in the past after the Court issued notices to all the pressure groups in November, 2013.
Source pointed out that the Special Court should proceed with ex-parte order in the wake of other pressure groups not contesting the case.
The purpose of damage suit filed by the Government after constituting the Special Court was to recover money from the 14 pressure groups for the damage caused during their agitations demanding implementation of ILP in the State.
The Special Court was re-constituted after R. Rymbai, Judicial Magistrate, First Class, East Khasi Hills, who was heading the Special Court on ILP related to case was transferred to Williamnagar on May 6 this year.
What is left with the Special Court now is to try three murder cases filed under Meghalaya Maintenance of Public Order Act and the multi- crore damage suit due to the large scale destruction of property of individuals and the Government after the State Government had withdrawn 92 criminal cases registered under Meghalaya Maintenance of Public Order Act.
There was criticism from several quarters in the past as to why the Government was not eager to set up Special Court to try corruption cases and pending rape cases while it chose to set up the Special Court to try the cases against the pressure groups.
