Full Moon Dhar. A file picture

Shillong, Jan. 18: The recaptured undertrials today told the judicial inquiry commission that Shillong jailbreak mastermind Full Moon Dhar was first arrested by police and then shot dead, contrary to the cops’ statement that the prisoner was killed in an encounter.

The hearing by the one-man commission led by Justice (retd) D. Biswas, since yesterday continued till this afternoon.

The undertrials revealed was that prior to their escape from the jail, Dhar had regular conversations with a “Congress Lok Sabha candidate” over phone, assuring his support to the latter during last year’s elections.

The two undertrials, Synsharlang Thongni and Khrawborlang Marbaniang, who were re-captured after the jailbreak, told the commission that the candidate was in constant touch with Dhar, before the incident.

They also said that Dhar, who was a Congress supporter, had assured all assistance to him while he was preparing for the elections, provided that the candidate also helped him get out of the jail.

The present Union minister of state, Vincent Pala, was the lone Congress MP candidate representing Shillong during the elections.

The undertrials, however, said Dhar did not reveal the candidate’s name to them.

Pala told The Telegraph over phone from New Delhi today that it was a political conspiracy, which resulted in the undertrials giving the statement about him without any truth.

According to Pala, Agnes Kharshiing, the chairperson of the Steering Committee against Murder of Democracy, wanted to frame him since her brother, UDP candidate John Kharshiing, was defeated in the last Lok Sabha elections.

“Dragging me into controversy is a political conspiracy. It appears that the vested interests want to tarnish my name,” Pala said.

Thongni and Marbaniang also revealed that around Rs 1 crore was brought to the prison to carry out the jailbreak. The undertrials also told the commission that a police official identified as circle inspector E.B. Kyndiah had threatened them not to reveal the facts before the probe panel.