By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, June 20: Former East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police, Rituraj Ravi, who deposed before the Meghalaya Human Rights Commission (MHRC) on Thursday, denied all allegations levelled against him, including the charge that he tried to forcibly evict a woman, Bindas Syiem, from the parking lot near Additional Secretariat on June 9 night while she was staging a hunger strike.
MHRC chairperson, Justice (retd) T Vaiphei told reporters that Ravi, who is now the Commandant of 6th MLP Battalion, Umran, did not accept any of the allegations mentioned in the complaint and stood by the statement already recorded by the police which was mentioned in the police report.
“We heard his side of the story on the incident of that night. We did not pass an order (against him). It was only to familiarize ourselves with the version of the police in person,” Vaiphei said.
Stating that Ravi’s personal appearance is dispensed with for the time being, Vaiphei said they have called the three complainants to get their comments on the police report which was submitted by the office of the Director General of Police to the Commission.
“We will continue with our proceedings. We have asked the complainants to produce the aggrieved person (Bindas Syiem) before us on February 5 at 11.30 am,” the MHRC chairperson said.
In an order, Vaiphei said after going through the materials on record, they deem it necessary to furnish a copy of the enquiry report, dated 19-6-2024 and submitted by the Office of the Deputy Inspector General of Police (Eastern Range), Meghalaya to the three complainants for their respective comments which are to be submitted on or before July 5, 2024.
“Communicate this order to the three complainants and the former SP/East Khasi Hills by means of their WhatsApp numbers/email ID for information and necessary action. Let the matter come up again on 5-7-2024 at 11.30 AM for further proceedings,” Vaiphei said.
Earlier, High Court of Meghalaya advocate, Enlang Sawian had filed a complaint with the MHRC and the Meghalaya State Commission for Women against Ravi for allegedly trying to take Syiem out of the hunger strike venue.
According to the complaint, on June 9 around 12.30 am, armed male police officers from the Special Operation Team, led by the SP, entered the protest site without the presence of a female police officer or an Executive Magistrate.
Sawian also alleged that Ravi had forcibly entered the area and was in an inebriated state.
Syiem had sat on a hunger strike to draw the government’s attention to the dilapidated condition of the Nongpoh-Umden-Sonapur Road in Ri-Bhoi district.
She ended the stir on June 12 after Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong had assured her that the road would be constructed this year. The government handed over a letter to her on the proposed construction of the road.