Shillong: The Meghalaya High Court has ordered a fresh investigation into the death of police sub-inspector Pearlystone Joshua Marbaniang, who was found dead in January 2015 after he had seized 32 trucks that were reportedly transporting illegally mined coal.
The court was not satisfied with the findings of the Special Investigation Team (SIT), which had concluded that Marbaniang had committed suicide.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
A bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice W Diengdoh said that it was “very difficult to understand how a person can be shot in the back of the head” and that the investigation did not appear to be “satisfactory”.
The court has directed the state government to appoint a new SIT to investigate the case. The matter will be heard again on July 27.
The court’s order comes after the mother of the late police officer had petitioned the court to order a CBI investigation into her son’s death. The court had previously rejected this request in March 2016.
Ready for a challenge? Click here to take our quiz and show off your knowledge!
The SIT report had revealed that Marbaniang was under extreme pressure to release the vehicles carrying illegal coal that he had impounded the night before he was found dead. The report also exposed the magnitude of illegal mining, procurement, and transportation of coal, lumber, and stone throughout the state.