Guwahati: A court in Guwahati on Wednesday has directed Assam Police to ensure the safety of Ghanakanta Gogoi, the prime accused in the October 26 Hotel Bilas Inn shooting that claimed five lives and left another person injured, amid concerns raised by his lawyer over possible custodial violence.
The Chief Judicial Magistrate’s (CJM) court issued a series of safeguards after Gogoi’s advocate expressed apprehension that the accused could be subjected to ill-treatment or face an encounter while in police custody.
According to the court’s directions, police must not torture the accused and must ensure that he receives adequate food, drinking water and other basic necessities during interrogation. The court has also ordered that Gogoi undergo medical examinations every 24 hours and directed the police to provide adequate security, particularly during the night, to protect him while in custody.
As part of the safeguards, police have been barred from taking Gogoi out of custody before sunrise or after sunset. In case he needs to be taken out for interrogation or recovery of evidence, an officer of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) rank must accompany him, according to the details of the order.
The court further cautioned that police personnel would be held responsible if the accused escaped from custody. The investigating officer has also been directed to comply with the Supreme Court’s guidelines in the D.K. Basu versus State of West Bengal case, which prescribe safeguards against custodial abuse.
Gogoi, 34, was arrested on October 26, hours after the shooting at Hotel Bilas Inn in Guwahati’s Lachit Nagar area. He was produced before the CJM court on October 27 and remanded to seven days of police custody.
According to the police, the shooting stemmed from a dispute over the hotel’s lease agreement. The disagreement allegedly escalated ahead of a meeting intended to resolve the property-related dispute.
Gogoi’s lawyer has claimed that his client acted in self-defence. However, the claim has not been independently established, and the circumstances surrounding the shooting remain under investigation.
The police are continuing their investigation into the incident that has triggered widespread concern in Guwahati.
According to Guwahati Police Commissioner Partha Sarathi Mahanta, Gogoi was arrested within an hour of the incident. Police also seized a .32-calibre pistol allegedly used in the shooting.
Police are examining the circumstances surrounding the hotel’s lease, which had reportedly expired, as well as discussions over its renewal. Allegations of unpaid rent and outstanding electricity dues have also emerged in reports concerning the dispute.
(IANS)
