CM assures fair probe

STAFF CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG, Jan 17: Chief Minister Mukul Sangma today said that there is no scope for anybody to directly or indirectly influence in the cases involving an independent MLA and a city based housing lodge owned by the immediate kin of the state Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh.

There has been a cry that HDR Lyngdoh be stripped of the Home port folio to ensure a fair police investigation into the alleged case of sexual assault of a minor by MLA Julius Dophang.

Dorphang is currently in police custody who was arrested from Guwahati for allegedly raping a minor in three different locations while Marvelyne Inn, a lodge owned by HDR Lyngdoh’s son, is under police scanner for similar crimes that were allegedly perpetrated in the hotel.   

Asked precisely on this, the Chief Minister indicated that there are no such thoughts in his mind. “The whole investigation is on. Please have faith in the administration of justice and the police investigating agency is part of It”, Sangma stated, even as he added, “There is no scope for anybody to influence the investigation directly and indirectly.”

On being persisted with questions especially on the political steps in the form of relieving Dorphang and Lyngdoh from their respective posts, Sangma said, “We do not need to follow the conventions and everyone has the right to defend themselves before the law”.

The Chief Minister spoke about the legislative measures that add up to the administration legalized power of setting fast track courts to deal with cases against women and children.

But he refused to follow by the normal conventions where ministers or other political functiories are drop or taken away with any influential positions for the sake of justice.  The Chief Minister boasted about the number of cases charge sheeted to women and children but fell short of explaining on how his own comrade (independent legislator) could continue as the Chairman in a minister of state rank in the Meghalaya United Alliance (MUA) government.

Joining him in the question answer round was the Chief Adviser to the Government and President of the Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) DD Lapang.

The MPCC Chief said, “No one is guilty unless proven by the court of law”. Interestingly, it was during Lapang’s Chief Ministership that Julius Dorphang surrendered and paraded before pressmen in his official bungalow in July 2007. Lapang was incensed when a question was raised on the involvement of Julius Dorphang in an alleged case of raping a minor and the party silence on the issue.