The jail break had shocked the citizens of the state, as seven hard core criminals could just walk out of the jail by over powering only a single warden and firing one round in the air from a 9mm pistol. A get away vehicle had already been kept ready for the escape, which clearly indicated that the jail break was carefully planned and scripted accordingly. It was therefore not an ordinary jail break. On the contrary, it is full of intricacies of deeper criminal and political ramifications.

On the 9th of June 2009, media persons of the state capital were invited to a conducted tour of the Shillong jail, who found that the security aspect of the jail was totally inadequate and has been neglected over the years. The prison was also over crowded and prisoners were suffering from various diseases, especially skin related ailments. It is therefore a pathetic tale that conditions in the prison have remained in such a sordid state, since it was built during the British regime about a hundred years ago. Though there have been about seven major jail breaks by criminals in recent years, there were no attempts to renovate the jail. The telephone system was not working and two of its watch towers were in such a dilapidated condition that it had become unsafe for anyone to use these.

It was only after the May 31st jail break that the Additional Director General of Police (Prisons) Kulbir Krishnah woke up to say that after investigations, recommendations would be made for a massive overhaul of the jail. The inmates have no recreation facilities except for a single carom board. It is a wonder therefore that amidst this muck, Fullmoon Dhar, in all his brilliance could manage to live a prison life, enjoying the luxuries of a five star residential status, when at his beck and call, wine and other delicacies would be served to him, while other unfortunate inmates had to be contended with half.

It is no doubt therefore that Fullmoon Dhar was the blue eyed boy of the jail authorities. There were a spate of suspensions and arrests. The jail superintendent was suspended and as many as seven wardens were initially arrested. Further probe and investigations would surely reveal that there was a planned conspiracy for the jail break. It is known that Fullmoon was never short of cash while in prison.

It was Ibatiplang Kharkongor, a college student of the city who came forward to make stunning revelations that it was she who acted as the pipe – line in the supply of cash during her periodic visits to her boy friend inside the prison; though she claimed that she never knew for what purpose the money was being used. According to her statement, she was asked by Fullmoon to collect the money from Thomas Nongtdu and in three installments had handed over to Fullmoon a total sum of rupees three lakhs.

It was on June 3rd that the news broke out of the arrest of Thomas Nongtdu, a nominated Congress member of the Jaintia Hills District Council, who was remanded to 14 days judicial custody on the charges that he was assisting Fullmoon Dhar with three lakhs of rupees for the procurement of arms and meeting other expenses for staging the May 31st jail break. Ibatiplang Kharkongor had collected the first installment from Shillong Club – room no 21, the second on May 12th and the last on May 18th.
Very suddenly however, and far from expectation, the state police on June 5th withdrew all case charges sheeted against Thomas Nongtdu. Senior police officials had refused to comment on this embarrassing and unprecedented action, which is said to have never happened in the annals of law and justice in the country, even during the British rule. This has raised many speculative questions, some of which have remained unanswered. Whether the police who have made themselves look foolish in the eyes of the people were pressurized to do so because of political pressure and the influence of money power is one of many such questions. Former Chief Minister and UDP President Dr. Donkupar Roy had urged the Chief Minister to allow the police to conduct the case without any interference. The Chief Minister had however not made any comment on this unbelievable development.

Fullmoon Dhar, a well known criminal who was involved in several rape and murder cases was the only convict who was gunned down after the escape while the other six who were although re – arrested did not suffer even a minor injury. It is because Fullmoon Dhar had to be forever silenced because he had knowledge of the conspiracies that were earlier hatched, their motives, plans, the money and the big wigs involved. It seems that this is not only conjecture but a highly probable scenario.    

Ibatiplang Kharkongor was declared that her statement could not be relied upon since she was mentally disturbed. Yet it is equally disturbing that Thomas Nongtdu who was arrested on the basis of Ibatiplang’s statement should be arrested and charge sheeted only to be mysteriously released with all charges against him dropped, only a day after his arrest, without any proper procedural investigations. These therefore are the riddles which have cropped up, needing a deeper probe rather than being just left in the hands of a police investigation officer or a departmental or magisterial probe, which is under state control.

Even the various statements made can not be recorded in a piece of paper. Statements made, to be regarded as valid, should be made under 164 CrPC so as to ensure that these statements are not retracted. The statements of Thomas Nongtdu admitting that he had given money to Ibatiplang towards the construction of a church building and that he was quite used to donating money to youth clubs and people doing charitable activities. Such story telling, at best, is absurd. Also, the finding of the Chief Judicial Magistrate that there was no prima facie case leading to the release of Thomas Nongtdu is also very illogical and ridiculous in the eyes of the law.

Therefore, on this basis, the various non – governmental and social organisations have made a din and bustle demanding for the re – opening of the entire jail break episode to which the Chief Minister has agreed. More than 20GOs of the state capital Shillong had formed the Steering Committee Against Murder of Democracy and had staged a protest march to the state secretariat on June 12th.

The Chief Minister D. D. Lapang had told the NGOs that he had given the administration and state police a free hand and that he would have zero tolerance towards any wrong doer. Not only the NGOs but also the opposition political parties in the state including the Nationalist Congress Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party have voiced their concern over the entire episode.

Thomas Nongtdu, with the charges against him, is therefore back at square one in which he will have to face further grilling not only regarding the May 31st jail break incident, but also regarding an active role as a philanthrophist, his political interest and activities as a business tycoon connected with coal mining which are linked with accusations of land grabbing of plots having coal deposits from private land owners belonging to certain families and clans which are now presently under litigation.

Thomas Nongtdu however got support from sympathizers when a five member delegation headed by a member of the Jaintia Hills District Council M. B. Rymbai submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister terming Nongtdu as a generous person who had donated money to people and various organisations in Jaintia Hills, especially for the construction of churches. However, on the other hand, the people of Samasi in Jaintia Hills have accused Thomas Nongtdu along with some businessmen of illegally encroaching over the land belonging to the Jingiaseng Samla (youth church organisation). People were also not happy about the sympathy shown towards Nongtdu by two Congress members of the Jaintia Hills District Council, namely M. B. Rymbai and Laitsing Shylla. The Jaintia Students Union central body had resolved to extend support to the Steering Committee Against Murder of Democracy.

Several leading organisations including the Federation of Khasi – Jaintia and Garo People, Khasi Students Union, Civil Society Women Organisation, Hynniewtrep Peoples Social Organisation, Meghalaya Peoples Human Rights Council had sent joined petitions to the nation’s President Pratibha Patil, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Home Minister P. Chidambaram, on the issue including the ineffective legal system in the state. The organisations had also demanded for the removal of Thomas Nongtdu as the nominated Congress member of the Jaintia Hills District Council. Already, Thomas Nongtdu has been stripped of the title of Convener of the Finance Committee of the Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee and has been replaced by Ms. Debora C. Marak.

The sordid affair has however mysteriously deepened as the gunning down of Fullmoon by the police appears to be homicidal. It is imperative therefore that the whole case can not be restricted only to the state police and the present legal system of Meghalaya especially as the judiciary and the executive are still not separated. In such a situation, the big wigs involved, having political and money power can always find a way out and cover their criminal tracks.

It is but proper and deemed fit that a much higher and authoritative investigating body such as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) takes overall and complete charge of the case, so that the truth can be fully unveiled without fear or favour.

Sumar Sing Sawian