Shillong, Aug 9: Meghalaya government does not want to accept the judicial inquiry commission on Mukroh instituted by Assam government.
An official source said on Wednesday that since the judicial inquiry commission instituted by the Assam government does not have jurisdiction over Meghalaya, the state has decided not to associate with it.
The state government has taken legal opinion following which a decision was taken not to attend the hearing of the commission, the source added.
In contrast, the Assam officials cooperated with the Meghalaya judicial inquiry commission headed by Justice (retd ) T Vaiphei when the hearing was held in both Guwahati and Shillong. The hearing is yet to conclude.
In the past, the state government did not raise objection when the Assam judicial inquiry commission on Mukroh was notified.
The fear of the government is that once Meghalaya officials attend the hearing of the Assam commission, it may substantiate the claim of Assam over Mukroh.
However, the Meghalaya government had accepted the Justice (retd) P.C. Phukan commission of inquiry which probed the Langpih firing incident of May 14, 2010.
The one-person commission headed by Justice (retired) Rumi Kumari Phukan was in Shillong on Monday but no one turned up for the hearing.
A statement issued on Tuesday by the secretary of the Assam commission said that the first sitting was held at the Conference Hall, Assam House, Shillong on August 7 for hearing on Mukroh incident which took place on November 22.
The matter for hearing was notified in a local newspaper on August 4 for appearance of the interested and willing persons having knowledge of the incident to give evidence before the commission. The government of Meghalaya was also notified and requested to produce all the relevant witnesses and documents before the Commission, as a last instance.
Further the DC, West Khasi Jaintia Hills was also directed to serve notice upon the relevant witnesses to appear before the Commission on August 7. But there was no response from the government and none has appeared to record the statement, the commission said.
With deep concern, the commission has closed the proceedings (hearing) from Meghalaya and returned to Guwahati, the secretary of the commission said.
