SHILLONG, Dec 9: The one-man commission of inquiry headed by Justice (retd) Tinlianthang Vaiphei has decided to issue notices to the Directors General of Police (DGPs) of Assam and Meghalaya and the Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) of Assam in connection with the Mukroh firing incident on November 22.
In a notification issued on Friday, Justice Vaiphei stated that notices under Rule 5 (2) (a) of the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1952 are to be issued to the DGP of Assam and PCCF of Assam to furnish the commission with a statement relating to the firing statement which took place at Mukroh village, particularly, the particulars of the Assam police officials and Assam forest officials involved in that incident and of the facts and circumstances which resulted in the death of five persons from Meghalaya and one person from Assam.
“Such statements must be accompanied by a list of the documents, if any, which they propose to rely together with the originals or true copies of such of the documents as may be in their respective possession or control and supported an affidavit, which should reach the Commission on or before December 29, 2022,” the notification said.
Justice Vaiphei also said that if the documents are not in their possession or control, they should state the names and addresses of the persons from whom the remaining documents may be obtained.
Meanwhile, Justice Vaiphei also ordered notice to be issued to the DGP of Meghalaya to furnish to the Commission, on or before December 29, a statement relating to the Mukroh incident which should be supported by an affidavit together with a list of documents, if any, which he proposes to rely and the originals or true copies of such of the documents as may be in his possession or control and shall state the names and addresses of the person or persons from whom the remaining documents may be obtained.
“Steps should be taken by the Secretary to the Commission to issue these notices within three working days,” the notification said.
Justice Vaiphei also issued a public notice under Rule 5(1) (b) of the Commission of Inquiry Act, inviting citizens acquainted with the subject matter to furnish a statement to the Commission relating to the Mukroh incident in the form of an affidavit on or before December 29.
He ordered that the public notice should be published in two prominent dailies (one of which will be in vernacular) of Meghalaya and two prominent dailies of Assam (one of which will be in vernacular) without any delay.
“The Secretary is to take necessary actions to get this notification published in the Office Gazette of the Government of Meghalaya, Home (Political) Department apart from the actions which he is required to take as indicated above as early as possible,” Justice Vaiphei said.
It may be recalled that the state government had issued a notification on November 23, constituting a one-man commission of inquiry headed by Justice Vaiphei under Section 3 of the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1952 to probe into the death of six people at Mukroh.
