SHILLONG: Acting on the magisterial inquiry reports, the state government has ordered the East Khasi Hills deputy commissioner to file an FIR against the 41 people who attended a jinxed wedding ceremony at Guwahati on June 27 last in gross violation of law.
The decision was made after examining the reports of the two inquiries instituted by East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner, Matsiewdor War and Ri Bhoi Deputy Commissioner, RM Kurbah.
Speaking to newsmen on Friday, Deputy Chief Minister, Prestone Tynsong said findings of the inquiry established wilful circumvention of the protocols and SOPs laid down by the government by the entire marriage party. “Let the law take its own course of action,” he said.
Tynsong however refused to divulge the details of the findings of the two magisterial inquiries saying “one cannot expect the government to divulge every minute details of the inquiry”.
“The government was transparent enough to at least share about the decision of asking the deputy commissioner to file FIR against these people,” Tynsong said.
When asked that if there are any recommendations to fix responsibility on any official lapses, an agitated Deputy Chief Minister retorted saying “if the government is to be blamed for the lapses, then why should FIRs be lodged against these 41 people?”
When asked who had approved the passes, Tynsong said that the DC East Khasi Hills is the authority who had issued the passes.
He was prompt in pointing out that while three persons are permitted to travel in one vehicle, 41 people attended the marriage with only five vehicles passes.
To a question if the person who applied for the passes had specified that it was for the wedding purpose, Tynsong confirmed that the application was for attending the wedding.
However what is unclear is that the state government time and again had maintained that except emergency cases inter-state movement was not allowed but in this particular case, how a wedding ceremony involving two families based out in Shillong could be treated as “emergency” and allowed to travel to Guwahati which was known as the biggest COVID hotspot of the region.
Clarifying the matter, the deputy chief minister said that marriage was included in the family emergency work.
It may be mentioned that two out of the 41 people who attended the marriage that has become a talk of the town, had tested positive for COVID-19 in the state.
Meanwhile, Chief Secretary MS Rao on Friday said that strict action would be taken against those who misled the district administration that they were undertaking inter-district travel while it was an inter-State travel for which the COVID health protocols of testing and quarantine are required to be followed.
The violators are liable for penal action under Section 188 IPC (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and cases are being registered accordingly, the chief secretary added.
