HC to Government : Reconstitute SIT to probe Pinch's death

Itagar, Feb 26: The Itagar Permanent Bench of the Gauhati High Court has directed the State Government to constitute an SIT to investigate and unearth the truth behind the entire incident leading to the death of former MLA Ngurang Pinch.

The SIT should consist of a police officer not below the rank of Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIGP) and two members at the rank of Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs), it said.

 While hearing the anticipatory bail applications of former ministers Atum Welly and Tatar Kipa, Justice Songkhupchung Serto in its judgment on February 21 last ordered the State Government that the SIT should be constituted within a period of 10 days from the date of receipt of a certified copy of the order and it should be communicated to the Court immediately.

Former MLA Pinch was found dead under mysterious circumstances on 18 November last year. Both the former ministers have applied for the anticipatory bail for the second time. 

Lashing out at the State Government for the slow pace of investigation into the death case, the court said, "More than three months have passed since the incident took place. By now, the investigation team should have come out with the truth about the cause of Pinch's death."

The court further said that since the deceased was a public leader and an MLA, the investigation team was expected of giving their best to unearth the cause(s), which led to the unfortute death of late Pinch.

 The State Government should have, in fact, tried its best to find out the truth. It seems that the SIT led by the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) is not strong and competent enough to investigate such a case, the court stated. 

On the anticipatory bail applications of the two accused on health ground, the court said "So far nothing incrimiting has been found against them, and since the applications are based on medical grounds, their prayer for anticipatory bail cannot be rejected."