August 8 next date of hearing
SHILLONG: The much-awaited verdict on the criminal aspect of education scam was delayed further with the Chief Justice Dinesh Maheshwari on Monday fixing the hearing of the case again on August 8.
As per the order, the senior counsel, VK Jindal appearing for the CBI on the matter was said to be not available on Monday.
“In view of the report submitted by the Superintendent of Police, a response appears requisite from the CBI as regards the documents said to be available with them”, the Court said.
The order also said that it has also been indicated that the matter pending before the Supreme Court in SLP No. 5991 of 2014 is likely to come up for consideration on August 1 .
“Having regard to the circumstances, this matter stands adjourned today. Be listed on 08.08.2016”, the order said.
However, the petitioner Agnes Kharshiing said that to her surprise, the case was heard for the first time by the Chief Justice on Monday when it was earlier heard on a few occasions by Justice SR Sen.
Earlier, the progress report submitted to the court by the police had nothing new to offer as the investigating officer had failed to get the relevant papers seized by the CBI due to the delay in filing a petition in the High Court.
According to Kharshiing, the civil case pending with the Supreme Court after the services of some teachers were terminated by the state government following the education scam is different from the criminal case filed against those involved in the education scam through many FIRs in Laitumkhrah police station
Earlier, in her petition filed before the High Court, the petitioner had said that the case at present is languishing with the state police and it seems that there is no intention on the part of the state agency to bring the investigation to an end, “because of the reason that the high profile politicians including the then education minister Ampareen Lyngdoh and the other officials are involved in the commission of the crime as indicated in the enquiry report of the CBI”.
The petitioner also stated in the petition that the Court and the police are looked with immense respect as instruments to provide justice in the society and if the strong and powerful are allowed to let go, then the day will not be far that the people will have no hope and trust from the justice delivery system.
Later, in the affidavit filed before the High Court, the petitioner said that a free and fair investigation cannot be expected from state police due to political and administrative compulsion and as such the inquiry by the police cannot be relied upon as it is evident from the manner how the investigation was carried out by the state agency for the last many years.
The petitioner hence sought the intervention of the High Court to hand over the Laitumkhrah P.S. Case No.62(7)2011 to CBI with a direction to complete the entire investigation within a period as stipulated by the Court.