Source: The Imphal Free Press
Imphal, September 05:
The C Upendra Commission of Inquiry instituted to investigate the June 18 public uprising and the July 20 firing incident, in which altogether 15 people were killed, will commence its formal inquiry from tomorrow.
The chairman of the commission, retired district and sessions judge C Upendra; will be making a spot visit tomorrow to the state Assembly and other places were the June 18 mob set fire to various government buildings, according to reliable sources.
In the meantime, the AMSU, AMUCO, UCM and CRPF authorities and a committee formed by the victims� families submitted affidavits before the commission in relation to the June 18 and July 20 incidents today.
The state police, the state government and MLA P Achou, whose official bungalow was torched on June 18, have already submitted their written affidavits to the commission on September 2 last.
It may be mentioned that today was the last day previously fixed for submitting the affidavits.
However, it is learnt that the commission chairman, C Upendra has extended the deadline upto September 15, for affidavits submitted in relation to the June 18 incident, and till September 12 for the July 20 incident.
The written affidavit of the CRPF was submitted late this afternoon, at around 3.30 pm, by a Delhi-based advocate Kapil Sanghla, who will be representing the CRPF before the inquiry commission.
In the meantime, Ng Nongyai, a spokesperson of the legal cell of the UCM, told media persons that the Upendra commission was not like an ordinary inquiry but it was rather an autonomous body.
The public had full expectation that a fair and accurate account of the June 18 and July 20 incidents would emerge from the inquiry commission.
He observed that if the commission required, as an autonomous body it could summon the PM, the Union Home Minister and PM�s interlocutor K Padmanabhaiah for obtaining their statements.
He said the commission should also obtain statement from NSCN leaders Isaac Swu and Th Muivah, the Naga Hoho, the UNC, the NSF and the ANSAM.
Pointing out that legal and technical issue would be faced during the inquiry, he appealed to the family of the victims to cooperate with the UCM.
He also asked the families which have not yet received notices from the commission to contact the UCM�s legal cell.
Several well known advocates of the state will be appearing before the commission on behalf of various parties.
Advocates Lalit and H Nandakumar will be appearing for the UCM, advocate N Koteshwore for the AMSU, senior advocate L Nanda for the AMUCO, while advocates P Tomcha and N Kiranmala Devi will appear for the June 18 firing victims.