GUWAHATI, Sept 16 � The Division Bench of the Gauhati High Court comprising Justice AK Goel and Justice Amitava Roy after hearing the writ petition (C) No. 4658/2008 by an order dated September 14 has directed the Central Government for payment of Rs 3 lakh as interim compensation to Rongmon Langthasa for death of his son Projit Langthasa on February 24, 2008 while he was in the custody of 8th Sikh Regiment of the Indian Army.
The writ petition was filed before the High Court stating inter alia that Projit Langthasa, a student of Class XII of Harengajao, NC Hills was taken away by the Army personnel of 8th Sikh Regiment of the Indian Army on February 24, 2008 and thereafter he was shot dead. The father of the deceased filed the present writ petition before the High Court claiming compensation for the custodial death of his son and also prayed for an enquiry by an independent investigating authority like CBI with regard to the cause of death of the deceased.
The court earlier on January 25, 2010 directed the District and Session Judge, Golaghat to make an enquiry into the facts relating to the incident and submit a report to the ciscumstances under which the death had occurred and the persons responsible for it. Accordingly, the report dated August 4, 2010 was submitted before the High Court. The court after hearing the writ petition and also after going through the enquiry report, directed the Central Government Defence Department to give interim compensation of Rs 3 lakh to the petitioner and also directed the State Government to file an affidavit as to why the accused have not so far been arrested. The court further directed the Central Government to file an affidavit explaining why no departmental proceeding would be drawn up against the accused.
The case is fixed for further hearing on November 19.
