Shillong, Aug 5: In a major relief ahead of GHADC politics heating up in West Garo Hills, the Meghalaya High Court on Aug 4 ordered all FIRs against S.G. Esmatur Mominin to be clubbed into a single case at Araimile Police Station.
A bench took up four petitions filed by Mominin. His counsel first sought quashing, then amended the prayer to clubbing, saying every case stemmed from the same GHADC election incident, the alleged assault on him, and his later public address. Leave to amend was granted on the spot.
The court heard that the complaints at Phulbari PS were largely based on media clips and videos, not direct knowledge. Citing Amish Devgan, T.T. Antony and Arnab Goswami rulings, counsel argued one cause of action cannot spawn multiple FIRs.
Additional Advocate General Chullai agreed. He told the court the State does not dispute the law or the facts, and on instruction said all four Phulbari cases — C/No.10/2026 filed by Dr. Mukul Sangma, C/No.11/2026, C/No.12/2026 by GSU leaders, and C/No.13/2026 already clubbed earlier — will be transferred within three days of the order being uploaded and merged with Araimile PS C/No.19/2026, the first FIR.
Accepting the statement, the court disposed of the petitions, made the rule absolute, and clarified Mominin can later file a fresh plea for quashing once clubbing is done. All parties were asked to act on the authenticated copy.
The cases were registered under various BNS sections read with the Meghalaya Maintenance of Public Order Act. With everything now in one file at Araimile, the legal battle shifts to a single forum.
