The Nagaland Transparency, Public Rights Advocacy & Direct Action Organization–People’s Justice (NTPRADAO-PJ) has urged the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Dimapur, to take immediate action in a criminal defamation case, citing the admission by some of the organisation’s founding members that earlier allegations against Hayithung Bill Lotha were “false” and “baseless.”
In a statement, the NTPRADAO-PJ said it “lauds and salutes” the founding members for admitting to making “false, defamatory and malicious” allegations, which it said had caused “irreparable damage” to Lotha’s reputation and public image.
The organisation noted that the same members had earlier accused Lotha of forgery and conspiracy in connection with the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) issue, but have now made a “U-turn,” stating that the allegations were made without evidence.
According to the statement, the founding members also claimed that their actions were carried out under the influence of a Minister, senior officials, and a departmental engineer, alleging a larger conspiracy behind the episode. The NTPRADAO-PJ, however, did not provide independent evidence to substantiate these claims.
Appealing to the CJM, Dimapur, and the Principal District & Sessions Judge, the NTPRADAO-PJ described the case as an “open and shut case” and a “watertight legal case” in favour of the complainant, and called for punishment of those involved.
It demanded that the six founding members, along with the alleged Minister and officials, be awarded “maximum punishment,” suggesting a jail term of at least two years along with a fine, “meriting the case.”
The organisation also clarified that Lotha is “neither its member nor its office-bearer/advisor” and stated that it has “no relationship whatsoever with him at present and does not intend to keep in future too.”
At the same time, the NTPRADAO-PJ urged the court to act “without emotions or biasness” and to uphold “the dignified principles of natural justice” while disposing of the case.
It further warned that if the matter is “postponed again and again without any credible reasons,” it would be “compelled to initiate a mass protest movement against the court officials” and approach the Gauhati High Court Chief Justice for intervention.