As the cloud of illegal rat-hole coal mining business only deepens over the State, it is relevant to remember that the 24th of January this year is the eight death anniversary of P J Marbaniang, a Sub-Inspector of Meghalaya Police whose death was linked to the illegal coal trade. His death still ranks as one of the most controversial cases to emerge in the background of the sinister illegal coal trade, as it is yet to be decided by the Supreme Court, where his case hangs fire, whether he was murdered or he died by suicide.
It was after about a year of the Supreme Court ban on rat-hole mining and transportation of coal on the highways. Marbaniang was posted in Patharkhmah, Ri-Bhoi district as officer in charge of the police outpost there. On 23rd January 2015 night he detained several coal trucks, obviously illegally plying on the road which was under his watch. Media reports at that time said that he was under tremendous pressure to release those trucks by the people with interests in the illegal coal trade. He reportedly refused as he chose to stand by the NGT ban imposed on the movement of illegal coal.
The next day, on 24th January, 2015, hours after he detained those trucks, he was found dead in his quarters. The police concluded that he committed suicide after at least two special investigations instituted into his death. Activists, family and the media continued to question the suicide angle pointing to many “evidences’ that he could not have killed himself. In the first place he had no reason to kill himself, his family said. “Secondly, it was pointed out that the bullet had entered his skull from the front while others swear it was from the back.
Other facts pointed out by the “murder” theorists were that there was blood splattered on a wall which was washed away by what seemed to be the forensic team. Also there was a bullet mark on the ceiling above near the fan. The question which lingers on is why the crime scene was tampered with and evidence seemingly wiped out.
Of course, five people were arrested who were accused of abetting Marbaniang’s alleged suicide. But his mother, Dorothy Marbaniang contested the suicide conclusion by the Meghalaya police Special investigation Team (SIT) in the Meghalaya High Court. The High Court had accepted the SIT report and dissatisfied with this she had filed a special leave petition in the Supreme Court seeking an impartial inquiry. Her view was ‘how can the very people who likely killed him be trusted with investigating his death’.
The case was being heard in the top court, but ill health overcame her and she passed away a few months ago. The question is what happens to the P J Marbaniang case now? Will these grave questions raised by his mother just sink into oblivion? Will justice ever be done in the case of this rare police officer who died trying to uphold the NGT ban? Only an impartial inquiry will reveal the truth in this case.
