The family of an 82-year-old assault victim has submitted a representation to Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, Home Minister Y Patton, Chief Secretary and the Superintendent of Police, Kiphire, alleging attempts to compromise the investigation and seeking urgent measures to preserve evidence and ensure a fair probe.
In the memorandum submitted by Sentinaro, daughter of the victim, the family expressed concern over what it described as a “well-founded, reasonable apprehension” that procedural lapses could weaken the prosecution’s case and ultimately benefit the accused.
“There exists a well-founded, reasonable apprehension that procedural steps are being executed with deliberate, calculated laxity to engineer structural loopholes in the prosecution’s case,” the memorandum stated.
The family sought strict preservation of the chain of custody of all evidence related to the case, including forensic samples, electronic records and material objects. It demanded that all such evidence be secured in tamper-proof sealed covers and accompanied by a documented and uninterrupted chain of custody log.
“Any deviation, omission, or unexplained delay will be construed as a deliberate attempt to compromise the administration of justice,” the memorandum stated.
The representation also alleged that the Officer-in-Charge of the police station concerned had failed to provide certified copies of the FIR, medical examination report and other investigation-related documents despite repeated requests.
Describing the alleged withholding of documents as a violation of statutory rights, the family stated that access to such records was necessary to pursue legal remedies and ensure transparency in the investigation.
The memorandum further called for the immediate recording of the victim’s statement before a Judicial Magistrate under the relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, citing the victim’s advanced age and psychological distress.
“Given the advanced age of the Victim (82 years) and the severe psychological trauma inflicted by continuous institutional pressure, time is of the absolute essence,” it stated.
The family also sought protection against what it described as institutional intimidation and requested that no police personnel from the police station concerned be present during the recording of the victim’s statement.
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In one of its most serious allegations, the memorandum claimed that there had been attempts to manipulate evidence after the alleged offence. According to the family, the accused was “intentionally removed to a distinct location and induced to consume alcohol prior to presenting himself before law enforcement authorities” in an effort to create a defence based on intoxication.
The family alleged that the accused was sober at the time of the incident and that the alleged assault was carried out with “premeditation and deliberate intent.” It therefore demanded a separate investigation into what it described as a “criminal conspiracy” to screen the offender and sabotage the judicial process.
The memorandum warned that if the investigation was compromised through procedural lapses, destruction of evidence, delays in filing the charge sheet or other irregularities, the family would approach the High Court seeking transfer of the case to an independent agency such as the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or a Special Investigation Team (SIT).
Seeking immediate intervention from the authorities, the family called for the preservation of evidence, timely access to investigation documents, protection of the victim and an impartial investigation into the case.
