Retired High Court judge to head judicial probe into blast at Meghalaya's coal mine

Retired judge R.S. Chauhan to lead inquiry into Meghalaya coal mine blast, addressing accountability and mining law exemptions.

Retired High Court Judge, Justice R.S. Chauhan, was appointed the head of the three-member judicial panel that will probe the February 5 blast at an illegal coal mine in Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills district, in which 31 people were killed, according to a notification.

The panel has been tasked with fixing accountability and examining possible constitutional exemptions to central mining laws, said the notification dated February 14.

Retired IPS officer H. Nongpluh and former IAS officer P.S. Dkhar are the other members of the panel, set up under the Commission of Inquiry Act 1952, it said.

Justice Chauhan was the Chief Justice of the Uttarakhand High Court and the Telangana High Court.

The commission will conduct a comprehensive fact-finding exercise into the explosion at the illegal mine in the remote Thangsku area of Mynsngat village, according to the notification.

"The Commission may submit its report embodying the findings and its recommendations thereon to the State Government within a period of 6 (six) months from the date of the notification," it said.