Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 17:
The Thangjam Manorama Death Inquiry Commission is likely to take appropriate legal action against the five 17 Assam Rifles witnesses for their 'deliberate' refusal to appear before the panel.
Commission Secretary Jason A Shimray yesterday filed a representation to the Chief Secretary informing that the Assam Rifles officials and personnel have not co-operated with the Commission's efforts to establish facts and circumstances leading to the death of the 32 year old Manorama Devi, informed sources said.
The Chief Secretary is yet to provide a reply on the matter.
Meanwhile, the lawyers who appeared on behalf of the deceased's family reasserted that they would not take further part in the panel's proceedings until and unless the five Meanwhile, the lawyers who appeared on behalf of the deceased's family reasserted that they would not take further part in the panel's proceedings until and unless the five AR witnesses appear personally before the panel.
Headed by retired Judge C Upendra, the panel had on August 11 re-issued fresh summons to the five AR witnesses to appear tomorrow at 11 am.
It issued the summons through the State DGP, said the source while adding that none of the witnesses currently posted at Keithelmanbi did not accept the summons.
The source also detailed that due to lack of positive response an Imphal West district police officer assigned to hand the summon affixed the summon papers on the AR office wall evoking provisions of CPC.
The five AR witnesses include the CO Col Jagmohan Singh, Naik Subedar Digambar Dutt, Havildar Suresh Kumar, and riflemen Ajit Singh and T Lotha.
They had also earlier refused to turn up before the panel on two occasions despite official intimations and summons.