Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, August 27 2009:
The state government has finally got a retired Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court to conduct the judicial inquiry into the July 23 Khwaramband market firing that killed a young pregnant housewife and a youth, and injured five others allegedly by Manipur Police commandos.
Justice PG Agarwal, retired Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court, has agreed to conduct the inquiry.
The Court also cleared his name for conducting the judicial probe which Chief Minister O Ibobi had announced on August 5 in the wake of the mass agitations following the exposure of killing of Ch Sanjit, a former underground activist by police commandos in 'fake encounter' .
Chief Minister Ibobi had announced that a judicial probe will be instituted during a crowded press conference held at the conference hall of his secretariat on August 5.He also announced suspension of six police commandos involved in the incident.
An order for the institution of the judicial enquiry has been issued late tonight by Additional Secretary (Home), Mutum Yaiskul, sources said.
The terms and condition of the inquiry order issued in the name of the Governor are to find out the facts and circumstances leading to the shooting incident in which two persons-a young pregnant housewife Th Rabina and a youth Ch Sanjit and injured five others, and recommend the government how to prevent recurrence of the incident in future.
As per the order the inquiry which would conduct Imphal as headquarter will be submitted to the government in two months period.
Official source said that state law department has got a intimation from the Gauhati High Court this afternoon at about 2 pm that the court agreed to conduct the judicial inquiry into the fact and circumstance resulting to the July 23 incident that occurred in the heart of the crowded Imphal city while the state Assembly session was in progress.
The intimation was forward to the state law secretary A Sukumar who brought to the notice of the state chief secretary, DS Poonia and started processed immediately.
State law department has furnished the intimation to the chief minister's secretariat for necessary official process so that state home department could issue order regarding the institution of the judicial inquiry.
The order has been issued late tonight, the source said.
Mention may be made that after the Gauwati High Court refused to spare a sitting judge to conduct judicial inquiry into the July 23 incident with an official intimation from the Acting Chief Justice of the Gauhati High Court on August 21, state government has been on search for a retired judge of the high court by sending government advocate, Koteshwor to Gawahati.
Government contacted at least three retired judges for the conducting the inquiry including justice Rajkhowa who is conducting inquiry into the Parbung rape case but finally retired justice PG Agarwal agreed to head the judicial inquiry, the source said.
If the home department issues the judicial inquiry, the Magisterial Enquiry on the same Khwairamband Bazar incident on July 23 is beginning from August 4 under a notification [DM (IW)/1/497/ME/09] issued by the District Magistrate of Imphal West, A Ibocha will be suppressed automatically, the source observed.