Former Assam Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta has been cleared of charges of secret killings by the Gauhati High Court, which dismissed an interlocutory application filed against him. The division bench, headed by Chief Justice Sandeep Mehta, observed that the petitioners failed to provide substantial proof to support their claims. The interlocutory application was filed by Rajya Sabha MP Ajit Kumar Bhuyan and Ananta Kalita, but the court dismissed it, stating that the allegations against Mahanta were part of a conspiracy by some political and non-political parties to malign his image. The court also informed that the allegations were invalid and the commission’s inquiry report indicting Mahanta was unjust.
The commission was formed in 2005 by the then Congress government to inquire into the killings of relatives of ULFA militants by unknown persons between 1998-2001. The commission had submitted its report in 2007 and had indicted Mahanta and the union home ministry for the killings. However, the court later ruled in his favor. Kalita and Bhuyan moved the high court in 2021 challenging the High Court’s order declaring the constitution of the Commission as invalid, which was dismissed on Monday.
Mahanta expressed relief that justice has finally prevailed, and the court’s decision has reinforced his faith in the judiciary. The verdict delivered on Monday is a significant one, and it sets a precedent for future cases related to secret killings. The decision has also highlighted the importance of having substantial proof to support allegations against anyone. The Gauhati High Court decision follows the long-standing efforts of Mahanta and his legal team to clear his name.
