Detained Garo National Liberation supremo Champion R. Sangma sought the presence of his legal counsel during interrogation, his lawyer said Monday.

 “He (Champion) has written a letter to the Inspector General of Special Branch seeking the presence of his counsel during his interrogation,” Sangma’s legal counsel Sujit Dey told journalists here. He said the letter will be handed Tuesday at the Meghalaya police headquarter.

In 1996, the Supreme Court in D.K. Basu vs. The State of West Bengal (AIR 1997, S.C. 610) had laid down certain guidelines to be followed after the arrest of an accused person.

One of the guidelines says that the arrestee may be permitted to meet his lawyer during interrogation, but not throughout the interrogation.

Sangma, whose outfit is fighting for a separate Garoland, was arrested July 30 near the India-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya. He met his legal counsel Saturday and hinted the possibility of holding talks with the government.

He is wanted by police for masterminding several crimes, including killings and extortion in insurgency-ravaged Garo Hills in western Meghalaya, has been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.  Meanwhile, Champion’s wife Enritha N. Marak has sought information from the Meghalaya police in relation to her husband’s service.

Sangma, a former deputy superintendent of police, deserted the Meghalaya police due to alleged harassment from his superiors and floated the GNLA in November 2009.

The Meghalaya government terminated his service on July 2010. “She (Champion’s wife) has sought all the relevant information, through the RTI Act, 2005, from the public information officer of the office of the Meghalaya police,” Dey said.