Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Shillong: Former Meghalaya police chief L R Bishnoi resigned from the Supreme Court-appointed High-Powered Enquiry Committee. The panel is currently investigating allegations of police brutality during Cockroach Janta Party protests at Jantar Mantar. Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi accepted the resignation on November 5. Bishnoi cited personal reasons for his departure.
The probe is stalled by a lack of victims. The committee, led by former Supreme Court judge Justice R Subhash Reddy, placed notices in 149 newspapers on October 17. They sent a reminder on October 21. Despite these efforts, only one complainant showed up for an October 29 hearing. The committee also includes Justice Ravi Shankar Jha, Justice Shalinder Kaur, and former CBI director Rishi Kumar Shukla.
The court ordered the panel to stop waiting for new complaints. They must finish the probe using existing evidence. This includes video footage and affidavits already filed with the court. During the hearing, the bench noted that complainants can remain anonymous. "We have impressed upon the counsel for the parties, since there is no requirement of disclosure of names of complainants/victims, let the entire materials within their possession be forwarded to the given address of HPEC or the portal," the bench stated.
Senior advocates Gopal Sankaranarayanan and Vrinda Grover argued that existing evidence is sufficient. They claim the committee should review submitted videos rather than demand new testimony. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta countered that victims should come forward directly. Sankaranarayanan highlighted that no FIRs or departmental actions have surfaced despite the police misconduct allegations. Protests began June 20, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Violence erupted on July 20 as police used tear gas and lathis against marchers. The unrest ended July 25 after Pradhan resigned.
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