Darjeeling, May 5: The one-man commission probing the lathicharge on a rally of former jawans at Darjeeling More on April 9 has once again decided to extend the date of deposition by witnesses after the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha and the ex-servicemen’s association sought more time.

“I will be coming here again as they (the Morcha and ex-servicemen) have sought more time. The decision has been taken to ensure fairness of inquiry,” said M.L. Meena, who heads the commission.

The former jawans are expected to make a written submission before the commission on May 17 and 18. The first round of deposition had taken place in Siliguri for three days starting April 20. The second round of a daylong deposition which, too, was agreed upon after a request from the Morcha, was expected to be over by five this evening.

Amar Lama, a central committee member of the Morcha, said: “Since we are all concentrating on the May 7 meeting in Siliguri, we have not finished collecting information. That is why we asked for more time and got it.”

Meena is expected to write to the Bengal government to extend the date for submission of the report, which otherwise would have had to be completed by May 23.

Col (retd) R. Allay, the president of the Bharatiya Gorkha Bhutpubra Sainik Morcha, which had organised the April rally, said the ex-servicemen would first hold a meeting with the Morcha’s central committee before deposing before the commission.

Meena, who is leaving Darjeeling tomorrow, also visited the family members of Jiwan Biswakarma, a 62-year-old retired BSF personnel, at Ging Tea Garden, 12km from here. Biswakarma had committed suicide on April 11, a day after returning from Siliguri, amid speculation that the insults thrown at him at the rally had prompted him to end his life.

“I spoke to the family members and they said Biswakarma was upset for he had not only suffered injuries (after the lathicharge) but also lost his service medal,” said Meena.

Bail granted

A division bench of Calcutta High Court today granted anticipatory bail to Sonam Tsharin, the former technical adviser to the DGHC, who was apprehending arrest in connection with the theft of 117 files belonging to the power department of the council.