SHILLONG, Aug 26 � Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) chief Champion Sangma has been remanded to 14 days judicial custody by a local Court here today.
�The Court of Judicial Magistrate has remanded Sangma to 14 days� judicial custody since the defence counsel did not move the bail application,� IC Jha, public prosecutor, said.
Champion has been under police custody for the past one month and was quizzed by sleuths from the intelligence department both from the Centre and State police.
The GNLA chief�s counsel, Sujit Dey said his client would move bail soon. But till that happens, Champion would be lodged at a special cell at the Shillong district jail. All this while, Champion was under the custody of the Border Security Force.
After emerging from the Court, Champion was willing to talk to the waiting media persons. He could barely finish his statement on his willingness to hold talks with the Government and his health status, but was whisked off by the police.
His counsel, however, said that his client was exploring the legal procedures to hold talks with the Government and also wanted to apprise the media about the mandatory medical check ups that he was entitled under police custody.
The Investigation officer, K Prasad told the court of the first class judicial magistrate, KM Lyngdoh Nongbri that Champion�s health was checked regularly by a BSF doctor, appointed by the State Government.
However, his other plea of providing newspapers was not entertained as Prasad said an accused is not provided with newspapers while under police custody. Meanwhile, besides Prasad, another investigation officer sought police custody of Sangma for the alleged crime he committed in the State, but the plea was not granted by the court.
The former Meghalaya Deputy Superintendent of Police, who floated the GNLA in 2009, has a number of cases registered against him in places like Williamnagar, Tura, Mendipathar (Garo Hills) and Nongstoin (West Khasi Hills.)
