High Court dismisses petition against Vice COAS
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 05 2014: Citing lack of evidence, the writ petition filed against Vice Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag (in line for the office of COAS) at the High Court of Manipur in connection with the abduction of three Manipuri men from Dimapur in 2010 and who were later found murdered has been dismissed.

The petition was filed by the family of one of the victims.

The writ petition was taken up for motion hearing by the Division Bench of Manipur High Court presided over by Chief Justice Laxmikanta Mohapatra.

After detailed arguments, the Court was not convinced with the matter.

As the High Court was dismissing the writ petition, the counsel for the petitioner pleaded that he should be allowed to withdraw and thus the petition was dismissed.

Defence Counsellors speaking to the media and inset Lt Gen Suhag

Speaking to media persons after the hearing, Central Government Standing Counsel Amarjit Naorem who appeared on behalf of the Army and the Government of India said that the case was dismissed because the petitioner filed a sworn affidavit which was untrue and baseless.

Pointing out that the particular incident of abduction and subsequent murder did not happen in Manipur but Nagaland, Amarjit said that the matter is not within the jurisdiction of Manipur.

Abduction of the three individuals took place in the intervening night of March 13 and 14, 2010, but the petitioner committed a gross error by claiming that the abduction took place on March 10, 2010 .

Another claim of the petitioner was that Major T Ravi Kiran, Second in Command of the particular intelligence unit allegedly involved in the abduction and murder, wrote a letter to relevant authorities against Dalbir Singh Suhag is also false.

What Major T Ravi Kiran wrote was not related to the alleged abduction and murder.

It was about a totally different matter, Amarjit said.

The alleged abduction and murder of March 2010 has nothing to do with Dalbir Singh Suhag because he did not hold the post of Lieutenant General at that time.

He was then posted at Delhi as a Major General.

It was only on April 16, 2011 that Dalbir Singh Suhag was posted as Lieutenant General in the 3 Corp which was allegedly involved in the abduction and subsequent murder.

Given all these facts, the petition filed against Dalbir Singh Suhag was baseless.

It appears that the name of Lt Gen Dalbir Singh was dragged into the matter to malign his image when he is likely to be considered shortly for the post of the Army Chief.

As the petition and allegations made therein against Lt Gen Dalbir Singh lacked evidence, it was dismissed by the Division Bench of Manipur High Court presided by Chief Justice Laxmikanta Mohapatra, Amarjit asserted.

Opponent counsel Khaidem Mani maintained that he would fight the case at Kohima Bench or Principal Seat, Guwahati even if it is not appropriate to hear the case in Manipur.