Guwahati: The Supreme Court on Tuesday accepted the plea to implead the Central CBI in the case concerning the alleged custodial deaths of three young men from the Hmar tribe in Assam in July, 2024.The petition, filed by family members of Lalunggawi Hmar, Lalbiekung Hmar, and Joshua Lalringson, challenges the Gauhati high court’s dismissal of their plea last September seeking a probe into the deaths. The HC had itself noted post-mortem findings of torture and close-range firing, and later dismissed the petition. The state government denied custodial death allegations.Appearing for the petitioners, senior advocate Colin Gonsalves on Tuesday argued that the case reflected custodial killings and required an independent probe.The SC bench of Justice Manoj Misra and Justice Manmohan allowed the late refiling of the petition, permitted CBI to be added as a respondent and directed that the paperwork be completed within two days. The petitioners have one week to file the amended petition, the order states. Once filed, notices will be issued to all respondents, including the CBI, who will have four weeks to respond. The matter will then be listed for hearing.The case stems from the July 16, 2024 incident when the three men were stopped by Assam Police in an autorickshaw at Ganganagar Part-VI of Cachar district. Police claimed they were armed and later died in crossfire during a recovery operation.
