SHILLONG: The High Court of Meghalaya has registered a PIL suo motu in view of the directions of the Supreme Court while dealing with matters relating to custodial violence.
The Supreme Court had given the directive through an order on September, 15, 2017 as passed in a writ petition.
The apex court has requested the Chief Justice of every High Court to register suo motu public interest petition with a view to identifying the next of kin of prisoners who have admittedly died an unnatural death as revealed by the National Crime Records Bureau during 2012 and 2015 and even thereafter, and award suitable compensation, unless adequate compensation has already been awarded.
In the order, the Supreme Court further issued various directions to the different authorities, agencies and role players including the Union of India, respective state governments and respective State Legal Services Authorities for dealing with matters relating to the prisons as also the allied aspects.
The SC has particularly issued directions for dealing with the matters relating to custodial violence, and more particularly, relating to the unnatural death of prisoners.
With regard to the observations made by the Supreme Court, and in the totality of circumstances, the state of Meghalaya and various functionaries related with law department, social welfare department, director general of police, director of prisons, health services were impleaded as respondents in the petition.
On the matter being taken on board, additional senior Government Advocate, K Khan has put in appearance for the arrayed respondents.
“Let a copy of this petition be supplied to the learned Addl.Sr.GA so as to enable him to complete all his instructions. Having regard to the issues to be addressed, learned counsel N Mozika present in the Court is appointed as Amicus Curiae for the assistance of the Court. Let a copy of this petition be supplied to the learned Amicus Curiae too. The Member Secretary, State Legal Services Authority W Diengdoh is also present in the Court. A copy of this petition be supplied to him also,” the order said.
The Court noticed from the office report that currently, two other cases relating to custodial death are pending in the Court, being WP (C) No.213 of 2014: Meena S. Marak v. State of Meghalaya and others and Contempt Case No.34 of 2015: Wanlana Nongkhlaw v. T.J. Synrem and others.
It was informed that WP (C) No.213 of 2014 is to come up for consideration before the Court on October 4 and the petition was also listed for orders on the same day.
