By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), while taking note of the ‘alleged murder’ of former officer in charge of Patharkhmah police outpost P J Marbaniang has stepped up pressure by asking people to write letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Mukul Sangma, the district administration and the Union Home Ministry even as the human rights body has sought the intervention of the United Nations.
In a statement issued to the media, the AHRC has also released an online format through which the people can write to the Prime Minister, Chief Minister and others seeking proper investigation into the case.
The AHRC has also decided to write a separate letter to the UN Special Rapporteur seeking its intervention on the matter.
While rejecting the probe report of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) which had concluded that it was a suicide case, the AHRC has sought a proper probe into the matter as the human rights body claimed that the police officer was murdered for not submitting to corruption since he had detained the coal laden trucks.
According to AHRC, after receiving information about the ‘cold blooded’ murder of the police officer, it was found that the case threatens to unearth the nexus between corrupt police officers and coal mine owners that have been illegally transporting coal. The Chief Minister of Meghalaya had appointed the SIT to investigate the murder, but so far only misleading information has emerged, the human rights body said.
“The Special Investigation Team (SIT) appointed by the Chief Minister of Meghalaya, under the supervision of Vivek Syiem, Senior Police of Shillong City, and H. Marbaniang, Inspector General of Police, to investigate the murder of P.J. Marbaniang; has produced an investigation report that points towards suicide because of personal issues”, the AHRC said.
According to AHRC, the National Green Tribunal had directed the government to functionalize nine weigh bridges in Meghalaya to transport the previously extracted coal before the ban was imposed on unscientific coal mining in the State.
“The Umling weigh bridge is located at Patharkhmah Police Outpost, where P.J. Marbaniang was designated as Officer-in-Charge and was responsible for smooth functioning of coal transportation. Despite his efforts, there were three (unknown) policemen who were involved in taking bribes from the truck drivers to allow for the illegal transportation of freshly extracted coal. This fact brought about a confusing confrontation between the truck drivers and P.J. Marbaniang, the AHRC revealed.
According to the investigation report of SIT, all the evidences related to the murder have been destroyed, such as the officer’s clothes and the crime scene, i.e. the police residential quarter was cleaned.
“This raises suspicion that the policemen present in the police residential quarter got the place cleaned, being well aware about the procedures of investigation”, the human rights body said.
“The wife of Marbaniang, who has always been at the forefront of fighting injustice, has withdrawn her complaint during investigation; but the mother of the late officer has not yet given up and is adamant about finding the truth behind her son’s death,” AHRC said.
As entrusted by AHRC, a staff member of the local NGO approached various government department officials concerned with the investigation of the case for information on the current status of the case. The staff member, however, was refused all information.
The lawyer representing the mother of the late cop has now requested the High Court of Meghalaya to forward the investigation of the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation.
Since the case is related to coal transportation, the AHRC said that it had previously issued a statement and urgent appeal on the situation of rat hole mining in Meghalaya.
The AHRC said that the Meghalaya government should suspend the three policemen involved in taking bribes from the truck drivers at Patharkhmah police outpost.