Submit police recruitment report by Oct 6

SHILLONG, 28: The Meghalaya High Court directed the CBI on Wednesday to submit its report into the manipulation for the recruitment to 34 posts of Meghalaya Police Service Officer under Home (Police) department before October 6.

The high court also underscored the need to dispose off the case at the earliest at the backdrop of the recent order passed by the Supreme Court.

While dismissing a Special Leave Petition (SLP) seeking a stay the High Court order dated September 8, the Supreme Court in its order issued on September 20 has asked the High Court to dispose the matter within four weeks.

In its order issued on Wednesday, the High Court said, “In fact, looking to the subject matter, this appeal is required to be given priority and deserves to be disposed at the earliest.”

“It shall be expected of the CBI to place the report before this Court on or before the next date (October 6),” it stated.

During the hearing, counsel VK Jindal appearing for the CBI argued that there had been lack of cooperation on the part of the officers of the appellant-MPSC but later on, corrected himself with the submissions that the requisite statements were indeed recorded on 22nd and 23rd.

He however, told the court that the hard disc image has been sent for report on 21st to the Central Forensic Science Laboratory, New Delhi and the FSL report is awaited.

Jindal further submitted that as on today, he has with him only the status report of proceedings and not the report required by this Court.

The court, however, said that as per the order passed by the single judge, which is questioned in this appeal, the enquiry was to be completed by the CBI within three months from 16.06.2016.

In the order dated 08.09.2016, it was expected that the report shall be submitted to this court in this appeal in a sealed cover at the earliest; and the matter was posted for hearing today. It was expected of the CBI that the requisite report was placed before this court by this date, the high court said.

The CBI probe was also ordered after a petition was filed by a candidate Millon Ch Momin who has questioned the fairness of process adopted by the MPSC. He had alleged that he was not shown in the select list despite having secured higher marks than four Garo candidates.

Momin found that he had scored total mark of 874 which was higher than the marks obtained by four other successful candidates who obtained 867, 820, 815 and 814 respectively.-By Our Reporter