Uproar at Court complex over bail order
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 21 2015:
A large number of womenfolk today raised an uproar after the Sessions Court, Imphal East passed an order to release all the four accused pulled up in connection with the murder of K Ibemhal Devi of Poirou Khongjin Kaina Chingkhong on bail bond of Rs 50,000 each today.
The angry women protesters tried to storm the Cheirap Court complex soon after they got information that all the accused in the murder case has been released on bail and shouted slogans at the gate of the Court complex.
Meanwhile, the JAC constituted against the murder of K Ibemhal has called a 12-hours bandh all over Andro A/C with effect from 5 am tomorrow .
The bail application was filed by the four accused identified as Kambam Lilabro s/o K Amubi, his two younger brothers Kambam Dasho (45) and Kambam Ramkumar 40 and Kambam Bira 50 s/o (L) Shellungba all from Poirou Khongjin Kaina Chingkhong.
They were arrested by a team of Andro Police on August 21 in connection with the murder of K Ibemhal Devi who happened to be an aunt of all the four accused.
During the bail hearing today, counsel appearing on behalf of the accused submitted that all the alleged accused/ petitioners were arrested by a team of Andro Police from their respective houses for their alleged involvement in the murder of their aunt K Ibemhal and stealing money from the aunt's house.
The counsel also submitted that the accused/petitioners have been falsely implicated in the murder case without any material evidence and were arrested on mere suspicion.
The counsel contended that on the day of the incident, petitioner number one K Lilabro was working at his younger brother K Lilachandra's paddy field from 6 am to 12 noon and returned home at around 12.30 pm when he heard about the death of his aunt.
Petitioner number two Kambam Dasho went to Khwairamband Bazaar on his father's Honda Activa at 10.30 am to purchase alum for treating water supply and returned back at around 1.30 pm.
Petitioner number three K Ramkumar was at his home the whole day except for some minutes when he went out to drop his daughter at school at around 8.30 am.
He again went out to pick up her daughter on his father's Honda Activa at around 2 pm.
The counsel also submitted that the petitioner number 4 went to a grazing ground near Keina Loukon for cutting fodder from early morning and returned home at around 8.30 am to drop the fodder and later went to his paddy field at Kaina Loukon for applying manure and fertilizer and returned back around 1pm after he heard the news of his aunt's demise.
The counsel added that no incriminating articles have been recovered from the possession of the petitioners or from their instance during the course of investigation.
All the houses of the four accused have been set ablaze by local people on instigation by family members of the deceased.
All of the accused/petitioners have been linked to the murder case on the basis of unfounded allegation of theft of money in the year 2013 from the residence of the deceased woman.
As in the present murder case, there has been report of theft of money .
The accused/ petitioners and the deceased woman were close relatives and neighbours and they are being framed in the murder case of K Ibemhal Devi to shield the real culprit.
The investigation is not done properly in the case and the investigating agency is keen to implicate the accused in order to ease its works as the provision of 120-B or 34 IPC has not been included till date, contended the petitioners' counsel.
However, the Additional PP argued that there is prima facie evidence about involvement of the accused/petitioners as they are habitual thieves and had been previously involved in stealing Rs 2,50,000 from the house of K Shyamkishore.
The behaviours of the accused after the incident clearly suggested their involvement in the murder, asserted the Additional PP and she prayed to dismiss the bail application as the investigation is in the early stage and they were involved in the heinous crime.
After hearing both the sides, the Judge issuing a ruling stating that a serious investigation is required to establish the facts and circumstances of the murder.
The Court later released all the accused on bail on PR bond of Rs 50,000 each.
The Court also directed all the accused to appear before the IO of the case as and when they are called and not to try to influence any person acquainted the facts of the present case.
They shall not leave the State without permission of Judicial Magistrate First Class, Imphal East, said the Court's order.
It further mentioned that all the accused are at risk.
Their right to life and personal liberty as guaranteed by article 21 of IPC must be protected by the State.
It directed the OC of Andro police station to safeguard the right of life and liberty of all the accused during the period of investigation and trial.
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