Meghalaya HC directs police to club all FIRs against TMC leader over alleged hate speeches

The Meghalaya High Court has directed the state police to consolidate five criminal cases registered against Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and former MLA S G Esmatur Mominin over alleged hate speeches made during the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) elections, holding that all the FIRs stemmed from the same cause of action.

The order was passed by Chief Justice Revati Mohite Dere while disposing of four petitions filed by Mominin. The former legislator had initially sought the quashing of the FIRs but later amended his petitions, requesting that all subsequent cases be clubbed with the first FIR registered at Araimile Police Station.

The criminal cases were registered at Araimile and Phulbari police stations in West Garo Hills in connection with alleged hate speeches delivered during the GHADC election campaign.

The FIRs invoke provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Meghalaya Maintenance of Public Order (MMPO) Act.

Observing that the complaints arose out of the same set of allegations and constituted a single cause of action, the High Court directed the investigating agency to treat the cases as one by clubbing them with the first FIR registered at Araimile Police Station.

With the court issuing the direction for consolidation of the cases, the four petitions filed by Mominin were disposed of.