STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed an FIR at its ACB office in Shillong, following an order passed by Gauhati High Court directing the investigation agency to carry out the investigation of the case related to the kidnapping of Jibon Kemprai around 7 years ago.
The FIR was filed on Monday against unknown persons under Sections 365, 506, and 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for ‘Abduction, Criminal Intimidation (Other)’ of 45-year-old Jibon Kemprai, the brother of complainant Mohendra Kemprai, Member of Autonomous Council, Haflong, Dima Hasao.
It should be mentioned here that the FIR was filed by CBI in compliance of the order dated October 12, 2023, passed by the Gauhati High Court, Guwahati in WP(C) No. 259 of 2022, in relation to FIR No. 03/2016 dated January 28, 2016 of Diyungmukh Police Station Case, Dima Hasao District, Assam.
The FIR was re- registered at CBI, ACB, Shillong for investigation. It is stated in the FIR that it has been filed pursuant to the allegation made by the complainant Mohendra Kemprai that his brother Jibon Kemprai was kidnapped from his residence at Jongshorhadi village under Hamri Constituency at around 09.30 PM on January 27, 2016, by unidentified miscreants or anti-social elements. Since then, the whereabouts of Jibon Kemprai has remained unknown, seven years on.
After abducting Jibon Kemprai, the kidnappers categorically threatened his brother Mohendra Kemprai that he should abstain from attending the emergent session of the NC Hills Autonomous Council, Haflong, to be held on January 29, 2016, that otherwise there would be dire consequences. It was also alleged that the kidnapping took place so as to prevent Mohendra Kemprai from participating in the emergent meeting scheduled January 29, 2016, wherein a “no confidence motion” was to be served.
Initially, the Assam Police conducted an investigation in the case but could not make any headway. As such, the wife of Jibon Kemprai had approached the Gauhati HC by filing the instant writ petition seeking a direction to handover the investigation to the CBI.
The HC observed, in the hearing of the case, that during the pendency of the writ petition, a three- member Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by the Superintendent of Dima Hasao District took over the investigation in connection with the abduction case. As such, a report was called for by the court from the SIT as regards the progress made in the investigation.
Accordingly, on August 03, 2023, the Superintendent of Police, Dima Hasao District, Haflong, Assam, had submitted a report in a sealed cover. On perusal of the report, it transpired that ‘save and except’ making a few arrests and recording statements of few witnesses, the SIT also could not make much headway nor could it conclude the investigation, as a result of which no charge sheet could be filed in this connection.
In view of the above considerations, the court expressed ‘the considered opinion’ that the case deserves to be handed over to the CBI. The HC also did not rule out the probability of political motive behind the incident.
The HC order directed CBI to carry out the investigation of the case as expeditiously as possible, ‘so as to bring the process to its logical end.’
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