SHILLONG, July 5: The Meghalaya Human Rights Commission (MHRC) will on July 18 hold a hearing on the request for the revival of a case against former East Khasi Hills SP, Rituraj Ravi.
The MHRC had earlier passed a judicial closure order on the case after none of the three complainants turned up for the hearing fixed at 11.30 am on Friday.
Bindas Syiem, who staged a hunger strike in Shillong on June 9, had alleged that the former SP tried to forcefully evict her.
“An hour after closing the case, one of the complainants (Purity Phawa) and the aggrieved person, Bindas Syiem turned up belatedly. As the judicial closure order had already been passed, the case cannot be automatically revived if a formal application for its revival is not filed by them,” MHRC chairperson, Justice (retired) T Vaiphei told The Shillong Times over the phone.
He said even if they file a formal application, the other side has to be allowed to defend. The hearing has thus been fixed on July 18, he added.
He, however, said the complainant and the aggrieved person should inform the panel about their inability to attend the hearing and seek time.
In the second order, he said Phawa and Syiem appeared in person before the commission and submitted that a heavy traffic jam delayed their arrival from the Ri-Bhoi district for the hearing.
In the order for the fresh hearing, he said Ravi should be informed about the recall application through the state’s Director General of Police.
Justice Vaiphei said Ravi was earlier exonerated from the charges as the complainants could not substantiate the case against him with proof.
“In the absence of the complainants or the aggrieved person(s), the case cannot proceed effectively. Under the circumstances, we have no alternative but to close the case,” he said.
