House Bulldozing Case: Gauhati High Court allows 4 weeks for inquiry report

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Gauhati High Court recently gave the state government four weeks’ time to submit the inquiry report of the one-man commission set up to probe the Batadrava bulldozing case.

Some time back, the HC revived the suo moto PIL case (3/2022) after its revival was sought by the petitioners in the case. The suo moto PIL was registered by the High Court in the suo motu PIL on the basis of the allegation that the personnel of the Batadraba Police Station had bulldozed the house belonging to one of the citizens of Nagaon in 2022.

The HC filed the PIL to provide justice and compensation to those affected by the incident of the state government bulldozing the houses of the accused in the Batadrava police station razing case. The state government’s officials bulldozed the house of one of the accused in the crime the very next day of the horrific torching incident.

The Gauhati HC, however, ruled that the action taken by the officer involved in ordering the bulldozing of the house was illegal and directed the government to take action against him.

The PIL was closed by the HC after the state government assured that a committee consisting of the Chief Secretary of Assam is enquiring into the incidence of bulldozing of the house and appropriate action shall be taken even against the erring officers within a period of 15 days from January 3, 2023.

However, the HC closed the proceedings with the liberty to revive it, merely by filing a note. This led the petitioners in the case to seek revival of the case by submitting a note.

The HC revived the suo moto PIL as the state government sat over the order of the court for nine months without taking any action. Reviving the PIL, the two-judge bench gave the government a period of three weeks to file its response to the order.

After its revival, the government advocate prayed for and was granted a short opportunity to respond to the submissions made in the revival note.

At the end of the slated period, the government advocate, Assam, has placed on record before the HC a communication issued by the Joint Secretary to the Government of Assam, Home & Political Department, which indicated that the one-man inquiry committee, constituted to inquire into the matter, has concluded its hearings and again pleaded for four weeks of time for the submission of the inquiry report.

The HC accepted the plea, gave the government four weeks to submit the report, and gave December 13, 2023, as the next date of hearing in the case.

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