Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, January 18:
Reacting to the news report published in The Sangai Express' edition of Jan 17 on involvement of army personnel in the rape of Jiribam school girl N Sanjita Devi in October 2003, a PIB (Defence Wing) statement issued today termed the charges are baseless and unfounded and deliberately done to malign the army's image and distract public opinion.
An allegation of this nature was also reported in October 2003 wherein a commission of inquiry was ordered in which the Army took part, as an exception, added the statement.
DNA samples of 12 army personnel were taken with the report not made public till date, said the Army authorities who further contended that the panel report was tabled in the Manipur Assembly in February 2004 and the Army urging for a copy of the same.
However, the State Chief Secretary, pointed out the PIB statement, had assured that since the Army was not involved there is no requirement of the report being forwarded to the Army.
Meanwhile, the Army on its own had also conducted a Court of Inquiry in November 2003 and found the charge to be baseless, it said.