Imphal, August 12 2009: Now the Judicial Inquiry the Chief Minister of Manipur, O Ibobi had announced to investigate the Khwairamband market firing of July 23 appears not to be in the shape of things as the Chief Minister had desired.

Reliable sources informed that not a single sitting judge of the Gauhati High Court is available to head the judicial inquiry commission to probe the July 23 firing incident.

It may be recalled here that the Congress Legislature Party held a meeting on August 5 and resolved to institute a judicial inquiry to investigate the incident in which a former PLA member, Chungkham Sanjit was killed in an alleged fake encounter and a young pregnant woman, Ms Rabina Devi was killed in indiscriminate firing.

Chief Minister Ibobi announced the government's decision at a crowded press conference.

He also announced that the government would like the inquiry be done by preferably a sitting judge of Gauhati High Court.

The sources said, Secretary, Law, Government of Manipur, A Sukumar was sent to Guwahati last week to apprise the Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court of the state government's decision and also to request him to assign a sitting judge to conduct the inquiry.

However, Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court, Mr Justice Jasti Chelameswar reportedly told Sukumar that at present there were too many cases pending and the number of judges was very short.

Therefore, it would be quite inconvenient to conduct the judicial inquiry as per the decision of the Government of Manipur, the Chief Justice reportedly said.

The sources further informed that Secretary, Law, Sukumar requested the Chief Justice to find at least a retired judge of the High Court to conduct the inquiry, if it was going to be inconvenient in assigning a sitting judge.

However, the Chief Justice pointed out that the Hight Court needed not to find a retired judge, it was upto the state government to decide, the sources said.

The Secretary, Law today apprised the state government of what the Chief Justice had told him.

Immediately, Chief Minister Ibobi called Chief Secretary Rakesh and discussed what should be done next, the sources said and added that some ministers close to the Chief Minister were also present at the discussion.

It is learnt that the meeting considered appointing a retired judge of High Court to conduct the inquiry.

Yet no decision was taken as such.

At present, there are two retired judges of High Court in Manipur.

They are retired Justice W A Shishak and retired Justice Haobam Kaminikumar.

It is not yet known who of the two would be appointed to conduct the inquiry.

Meanwhile, families of the two killed persons are reported to be preparing to file a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) case in the High Court challenging refusal of the City Police Station, Imphal to register FIR against those police commandos involved in the killings and higher officers responsible.

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