Two arrested in Kunjabihari murder case remanded to judicial custody till Feb 14
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, February 03, 2011: Board of Secdondary Education Manipur (BSEM), chairman, N Kunjabihari was murdered for 'personal gains', public prosecutor of the case today revealed in the court where hearing for remanding the two persons arrested in connection with the killing took place.

The two persons, Potshangbam Opendro Singh aka Pukchao and Yumnam Somendro Singh aka Tiken were produced in the court of CJM, Imphal West with the prayer for remanding the two into judicial custody for 13 days, that is till February 14. In the court, the public prosecutor quoted findings of the investigation of the case registered with Imphal PS and said that during the 15 day custody of the two persons, "it was revealed that they are active cadres of MDF (Military Defense Force)".

The police while interrogating Opendro, came to know that probably in September 2010, he had threatened Kunjabihari of dire consequences if he became chairman of the BSEM.

The threats were made from his mobile phone (8974893522). Opendro had threatened editors of local dailies for not publishing the press release claiming that the chairman was killed by their party, MDF, the prosecutor said adding that Opendro further disclosed that he did everything on the advice of Somendro.

On comparision of the IMEI number of the mobile handset used by Opendro to threaten Kunjabihari and that seized from Opendro it has been found that it has the same IMEI number (359611023612970), said the prosecutor.

Somendro, who had received basic military training and had been arrested three times, provided the mobile number of Kunjabihari to Opendro with the instruction to threaten the chairman not to join his post.

He also admitted instructing Opendro to release a press note claiming the murder of the chairman.

The prosecutor said, "There are sufficient circumstances to believe that the crime was committed by the two arrested persons and their associates to gain their personal benefit".

Further, the prosecutor claimed that Somendro went to the BSEM office on the day of the chairman's murder.

In the meantime, the prosecutor also informed the court that investigators examined the staff members of the BSEM who met the chairman on the day of his murder.

They also seized the printing orders of BSEM and Council of Higher Secondary Education given to Leiteng Printers/Haftone Press which is owned by Somendro.

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