HC asks Meghalaya govt to file affidavit in homicide case

Shillong, July 5 (UNI) The Gauhati High Court today asked Meghalaya government to file an affidavit within ten days into the alleged murder of Rinehskhem Kharsohnoh in the residence of former state Police Chief William Richmond Marbaniang.

A Division bench, comprising Justices Tinlianthang Vaiphei and A P Subba, also made it clear to state respondents that if no affidavit is filed within the stipulated time, then the case will be heard and disposed of on the basis of the available record.

''An attempt shall be made to dispose of the PIL on the next returnable date,'' the Judges said.

A local advocate A H Hazarika here filed a Public Interest Litigation into the mysterious death of the domestic help Rinehskhem Kharsohnoh stating that ''police had created enough confusion in the mind of the general public and even tried the best to cover up the case as a suicide case even though it was a clear case of murder.'' The case, which was heard for the fourth time today, came after the Criminal Investigation Department submitted its second status report on the murder case, while the former state police chief and his wife Enid Basaiawmoit filed their separate affidavit.

In their affidavit, the couple admitted that a homicide had taken place within their residential premises but the disturbing feature is that the media had blown the issue out of proportion.

On March 17, Rinehskhem Kharsohnoh (26) was allegedly 'murdered' inside the high security compound of Mr Marbaniang, who was the police chief at the time of the incident.

Moreover, the initial police statement claiming that the deceased had committed suicide and had not been murdered raised more doubts, especially after the second autopsy report confirmed that it was a case of 'homicide' and not 'suicide'.

The Criminal Investigation Department inquiring into the high profile murder case had claimed that they are inching toward establishing a list of suspects.

UNI