KSU Black Flag Rally Violence: Meghalaya High Court Expresses Displeasure Over Progress Of Probe, Asks IG & Other Cops To Appear
The Meghalaya High Court on Tuesday (September 1) expressed its displeasure regarding the manner in which the investigation is progressing incidents that occurred on August 19 during the rally organised by the Khasi Students Union in Shillong.The division bench comprising the Chief Justice Revati Mohite Dere and Justice W. Diengdoh observed:“Having perused the report, we note, that we are...
The Meghalaya High Court on Tuesday (September 1) expressed its displeasure regarding the manner in which the investigation is progressing incidents that occurred on August 19 during the rally organised by the Khasi Students Union in Shillong.
The division bench comprising the Chief Justice Revati Mohite Dere and Justice W. Diengdoh observed:
“Having perused the report, we note, that we are not happy in the manner in which the investigation is progressing. First and foremost, we find that the procession ought not to have been allowed to proceed, as there were clear breaches of the conditions on which the permission was granted by the police i.e. the participants were wearing masks and their faces were covered despite the organisers assuring and undertaking that the participants would not wear any kind of mask or face cover during the rally and (ii) they were in breach of clause No.8, that the participants would not be carrying sticks/lathis or any dangerous weapons. We are also informed that there was another breach of rule inasmuch as, the vehicle numbers were also covered by the participants of the rally.”
The Court was hearing a suo motu PIL and had earlier asked for the status report on the action taken by the State authorities.
The Advocate General (AG) has filed a status report on behalf of the State of Meghalaya. The case diaries of two cases at serial Nos.7 and 8, i.e. incidents in which two vehicles of the Meghalaya High Court were damaged and a PSO and a driver, attacked, was also produced for the Court's perusal.
The AG informed the Court that 22 FIRs have been registered related to the said incidents and initially three persons i.e. office bearers of Khasi Students Union (KSU) were arrested and thereafter, one more person, an office bearer of KSU has been arrested.
It was further submitted by the AG that two vehicles involved in the incident have also been seized during the course of investigation and that call detail records of eight suspected mobile numbers has been collected and is being analysed. He further submitted that CCTV footages of 27 locations along the way have also been collected and the said footages are being analysed.
The Court noted:
“We find that, if at the outset before the rally proceeded, if the same was stopped by the police for breach of these conditions on which the permission was granted, the incident would not have snowballed into what took place thereafter i.e., destruction of vehicles/property and assault on people.”
The AG sought time to take instructions whether any videography of the procession from where it started and even thereafter was done.
The Court directed the AG to inform the Court as to whether the directions given by the Supreme Court in Tehseen S. Poonawalla v. Union of India (2018) 9 SCC 501 were followed.
“Learned Advocate General to also inform this Court, whether any police officer intervened or even attempted to stop the rally/assaults on persons/destruction/ damage to property, at any point of time,” the Court said.
The Court further said that it found it strange that when there were hundreds of miscreants involved in the procession, the police have been able to identify only four out of the hundreds who participated in the rally. It directed the police to identify the miscreants at the earliest and take the investigation to its logical end, so that the miscreants who assaulted/caused damage to property are not spared.
The Court was informed that an SIT has been constituted under the leadership of the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Marak.
“We expect the learned Advocate General to bring this order to the notice of the Chief of the SIT, so as to enable the SIT to take prompt and appropriate steps in identifying the miscreants, who paralysed the city; vandalised statues and damaged property; and assaulted the public. We also expect the police to comply with the directions given by the Apex Court in Tehseen S. Poonawalla's case (supra),” the Court noted.
The Court further directed the Inspector General of Police Mr. Marak, to remain present on the next date. It also asked the Superintendent of Police, East Khasi Hills District, Shillong and the concerned Officers-in-Charge of Sadar Police Station and Lumdiengjri Police Station to remain present on the next date.
The Court directed the State to submit a fresh status report with respect to the investigation carried out on the next date.
The matter is again listed on September 7.
Case title: Registrar General, High Court of Meghalaya v. State of Meghalaya
Case No.: PIL No.16/2026