SHILLONG, MAY 12: Meghalaya government has constituted a High Level Inquiry Committee (HLIC) to be headed by the state’s Social Welfare department commissioner & secretary MHK Marak to probe into the entire gamut of the controversial illegal detention of twelve girls, including a pregnant woman, for a week and also the alleged tortured they were subjected too by some members of ngos in Garo hills district.
Meghalaya social welfare minister Deborah Marak told reporters on Monday that the HLIC will have to submit its report within 30 days from the day it is notified. She said, “Hopefully the HLIC will be notified by today evening.”
Marak revealed that the state level committee can, if necessary, override the magisterial inquiry constituted by the West Garo hills district magistrate as the HLIC will probe all angles of the issue including the role of the West Garo hills deputy commissioner and the police.
Marak said, “The government wants to get to the bottom of the issue and find out the truth about the moral policing, role of the members of the ngos, district administrations, police and others.” She said that whoever is found to be guilty will be punished according to the law of the land.
Marak said that MHK Marak will co-opt members for the HLIC from Garo hills social welfare department, district administration and the police. She informed that the committee has been formed to ensure a fair probe with the intention of getting at the bottom of the issue and to come out with the truth without making any concession as to who is involved, whether the ngos or government officials.
Admitting that it is quite premature and difficult to point fingers either on the members of the ngos, district administration or police she however assured that whoever is responsible for the illegal confinement of the twelve girls and the inhuman treatment meted out to them will not be spared as anyone found guilty will be punished as per law.
The minister also made it clear that the allegations and counter allegations between the members of the ngos, the West Garo hills deputy commissioner and police will also be probed and try to establish the claims made by the arrested activists that they were give verbal go ahead by the deputy commissioner to round up the girls who they alleged were engaged in flesh trade.
The minister further said that committee will further probe on the accommodation provide by the West Garo hills deputy commissioner to the activists Jaynie Ningring N. Sangma and others at the Tura Circuit house.- By Our Reporter
