Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 29:
Following the suggestions of the Principal seat of the Gauhati High Court that the C Upendra Commission may examine the Assam Rifles personnel in camera inside the precinct of the Central Jail, the authority concerned has kept three places ready within the jail for the witnesses to depose before the panel.
Sources said that since the High Court has not given any specific area within the jail where the Assam Rifles witnesses may be examined, the Jail Authority is working over time to choose convenient places for the examination of the witnesses to take place.
The Jail Authority has short listed three sites, which the Assam Rifles personnel may choose according to their convenience, said sources.
The three places which the Jail Authority has zeroed in are the office of the SP, Jail, the jail library and the room where the Jailor stays.
Though today was a Sunday, the Jail SP personally came and over saw the preparations being taken up for the examination to proceed.
The Upendra Commission has intimated that they will not object to any arrangements made by the Jail Authority.
Meanwhile all necessary arrangements have been made to enable the Commission examine the AR personnel at the Central Jail smoothly where four AR witnesses are scheduled to give their statements before the Commission tomo- rrow at 1 pm, according to an official source.
The venue for recording the statements of the AR witnesses has been shifted to the Central Jail following a suggestion from the Principal seat of the Gauhati High Court.
The State Home Department has communicated the directive of the Court to the Commission Secretary, besides sending a copy of the same to the SP (Jail) for taking up necessary arrangements, the official source said, while disclosing that the proceeding may be held at the library room of the jail.
The State Government has also taken up special security measures to enable the recording of the statements of the four Assam Rifles witnesses, namely Naik Subedar Digambar Dutt, Havildar Suresh Kumar, Rifleman Ajit and Rifleman T Lotha in camera, the source informed.
The Court�s directive had strictly mentioned that one other person should be allowed during the hearing at the Central Jail, apart from Manorama�s mother, her brother, their counsels and counsels of AR and State Government and the four listed AR witnesses.
Information received by the press from the Central Jail said that as there was no room which would be served as the Court Room, it was earlier decided to convert the room of the Jail SP for the purpose.
But as there were some other difficulties in converting the SP�s room as Court Room, it was finally decided to use the Library Room for the hearing.
To avoid any untoward incident during the proceeding , restriction on the movement of the prisoners in the Jail would be restricted and CRPF personnel deployed in and round the Jail complex , the jail source said.