Shillong, June 15: The family members of the late Cheristerfield Thangkhiew have sought the court intervention for a CBI probe into the death of the former HNLC leader.
While talking to a section of reporters here on Thursday, Thangkhiew’s younger brother, Granary Starfield Thangkhiew said that they had filed the petition before the High Court of Meghalaya on June 12.
“We have waited for two years to allow the government to initiate action against the erring police officials who were responsible for the alleged killing of the late brother. We have tried to get information from the police through the SP about this case. Nothing was forthcoming ” Thangkhiew said.
He said that the first thing which they had mentioned in the petition was to urge upon the court to hand over the probe to the CBI since they are not satisfied with the action initiated by the government.
Thangkhiew’s younger brother informed that in the petition, they have sought an information on the steps which has been taken on the FIR which they had filed at Mawlai police station on August 18, 2021 in petition besides the action which has been initiated by the government as per recommendation of the one-man inquiry commission headed Justice (retd) T. Vaiphei.
It may be mentioned that the court on Wednesday had heard the petition of late Thangkhiew’s younger brother which was moved by senior counsel TT Diengdoh and assisted by R. Kharsyad.
Government advocates S. Sahay and ER Chyne were present on behalf of all the respondents.
The grievance of the writ petitioner is that after the FIR which was filed on August 18, 2021 and a case registered at Mawlai police station and also an inquiry report dated 19.05.2022 submitted to the state by a One Man Enquiry Commission, the writ petitioner and the family are not aware of what has transpired thereafter.
Sahay submitted that certain steps have been taken in so far as the investigation and action against the erring personnel are concerned, and that he may be allowed to bring the status report and the other materials by way of an affidavit within a period of 4 weeks from June 14.
The matter will be heard again on July 13.
While referring to the report of the one-man inquiry commission, he said that the report has already pointed out that the police operation to arrest his late brother was culpable of thoughtless and excessive use of force, which resulted in his death.
“We have been patient and waited for so long. But it looks like the government is trying to delay just to protect the erring police official. We have seen that there is an attempt by the government to divert on this issue,” late Thangkhiew’s younger brother said.
Thangkhiew also claimed that he knows the names of the police officials who are responsible for the killing of the brother.
“We will divulge the names of these police officials if the situation demands,” he added.
When asked for his reaction to the decision of the HNLC for the peace dialogue, late Thangkhiew’s younger brother said that it is a good thing since his late brother was very much involved to bring the HNLC to a dialogue when he was alive.
He however cautioned the HNLC members to be alert and not to believe in everything so that they will not face the same fate like his late brother.