SHILLONG: Only two of the over 50 witnesses have been examined till date in the civil defamation suit filed against 14 pressure groups for instigating violence in 2013.
The next hearing in the suit will be on April 25. Sources said the questioning will proceed fast.
The hearing was stretching for a long time. Only a few pressure groups were attending the proceedings and the case is going ex-parte against the organisations.
Asked about the delay, the sources said many times, judges were changed delaying the process.
The pressure groups were demanding inner line permit and had shut down the city violating the Supreme Court order against strikes
The State in the damage suit said it incurred Rs 31.09 crore loss during bandhs, picketing and blockades called by the pro-ILP groups since September 2, 2013, which affected normal functioning of government offices and businesses.
During the last hearing, former East Khasi Hills police chief M. Kharkrang and former Deputy Commissioner Sanjay Goyal made depositions before the Court.