Shocking demand by Congress for release of culprits who attacked house with woman and children
Shillong, Oct 31: Shocking demand has been made by the Congress party to the Returning Officer for Rajabala election asking for the release of six of its party men who were arrested and sent to jail by the court for attacking the house of Garodubi headman Hasan Ali, so that the arrested men can come out and go to their polling station and vote during the by-election that took place on Saturday.
A total of 10 people are in judicial custody for the attack on the house when children and women were inside.
In a petition submitted to Returning Officer C N Sangma with copies to the General Observer and the District Election Officer, the Meghalaya Pradesh Youth Congress President Richard Marak asked that six of the men arrested by police should be released so that they can go and cast their vote during voting.
This is something never heard of in criminal history proceedings in the state, and it is also the first by a political party and its youth leader giving an indication of the party’s mindset on how it behaves when it comes to enforcing the law.
“We are not the authority to release anyone. Those involved in the Garodubi incident have been arrested and forwarded to court. The court has sent them to prison. It is a legal issue now,” says police and election officials in Tura.
“I request you to release the detained individuals to exercise their voting franchise in the democratic process,” the appeal by Richard Marak says and also mentioned the previous appeals by families of the men detained.
But legal experts have been amused by the Congress leader’s attempts to bail out men involved in a criminal act.
“How can the Returning Officer even seek their release? These men have been proven beyond doubt to be involved in a criminal case. In this case an attack on a house of another person, so obviously the case goes to the court. If at all, they were innocent the court would have granted them bail. Instead they were sent to judicial custody which confirms their criminal antecedents,” says a legal luminary from the state.
The Youth Congress President in his letter to the Returning Officer asked for the release of six arrested congressmen by the names of Bashidur Islam of Magurmari village, Mozibor Rehman (Magurmari), Mofel Haque of Bowabari village, Aziar Rahman (Magurmari), Jolbahar Sk (Magurmari) and Mozamel Sk (Magurmari).
Already Section 144 CrPC is imposed in Rajabala as a precautionary measure from Saturday evening banning political meetings, movement, rallies and gatherings. Police forces are on full standby for any eventuality.
