Imphal, August 18: With the C Upendra Commission breathing down its neck, authorities of the 17 Assam Rifles has reportedly filed a writ petition before the Principal seal of the Gauhati High Court challenging the legality of the panel in summoning the witnesses of AR to depose before the Inquiry Commission constituted to probe the circumstances leading to the death of Th Manorama.

Five witnesses of the Assam Rifles, who were supposed to appear before the panel today at 11 am, failed to turn up again.

A man who identified himself as the Deputy Judge Advocate General of the Army today tiled an application before the panel on behalf of the CO of 17 Assam Rifles and four other witnesses of the unit.

The application prayed to keep the proceedings against the five AR men in abeyance in view of the writ petition filed before the Principal seat.

Sources however said that the High Court is yet to hear the petition.

On the summon order issued to the AR personnel, the application said the witnesses, "are not even within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Commission to appear on the fixed date".

It further said that the application is being made bonafide and in the interest of justice.

Since the man who submitted the application did not submit any authorization letter to prove himself as the counsel of the Assam Rifles, the panel did not fully recognize him as the lawyer of the AR men.

The Inquiry Commission has on the other hand fixed August 20, 12 noon for further hearing.

Meanwhile the counsels of the victim's family did not turn up before the Commission to lodge their protest against the deliberate absence of the Assam Rifles witnesses, despite numerous reminders and summon orders issued to them.

Besides the CO of 17 Assam Rifles, Colonel Jagmohan Singh, the other four witnesses listed in the summon orders are Naik Subedar Digambar Dutt, Havildar Sureshkumar and riflemen Ajit Singh and Lotha.

Panel Secretary Jason A Shiniray had on August 16 filed a representation to the Chief Secretary intimating that the AR authorities have not co-operated with the Commission's efforts to establish the facts and circumstances leading to the death of Th Manorama.

For the third time, the Commission had on Aug 11, issued fresh summons on the 5 AR witnesses through the State DGP.

SDO of Imphal West police was entrusted with the task of delivering the summon order to the Assam Rifles authority, but Assam Rifles refused to accept the summon order.

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