Padam Gurung death case: 14 more witnesses record their statements before one-man Judicial Enquiry Commission

The one-man Judicial Enquiry Commission headed by Justice N.K. Jain, former Chief Justice of the High Court of Sikkim, probing the death of Sikkim student leader Padam Gurung, recorded the statements of 14 more witnesses at Namchi on Monday.

The owner of Hotel Crossroads and the hotel’s staff members, who were with Padam Gurung on the day of the incident were among those who recorded their statements.

The judicial inquiry into the death case of Padam Gurung started on June 26.

The Commission has recorded the statements of 35 witnesses in its first sitting held from July 25 to July 28.

Earlier, on the first day of the hearing, the Commission recorded the statements of eight witnesses, namely Dawa Lhamu Pahkrin, SHO, Namchi PS, Ankur Ankesh, SP, CID, Kessang Dorjee Bhutia, SDPO, Jorethang Siddharth Subba, SI, Namchi P.S., Parshuram Sharma, ASP, SDPO, Namchi, Sawan Gurung, PI, Namchi Police Station, Dharmaraj Chettri, Head constable, Namchi P.S.

On the second day of the hearing on July 27, a total of fourteen witnesses, including Tara Pradhan, Subhash Gurung, Secretary Welfare of All Sikkim (TAMU) Buddhist Association, Gangtok, Manika Pradhan, an eyewitness, Durga Prasad Pradhan, appeared before the Judicial Commission and gave their oral statements.

Gurung was found dead on June 28 in the Kazitar area of Namchi, Sikkim.

According to sources, Gurung was untraceable since June 27 night after he was reportedly washed away following heavy rainfall. His body was recovered from a drain the next morning.

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