Rs 10 lakh bail for Yamthong Haokip
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, June 27 2019:
Special Court NIA Manipur released Saikul MLA Yamthong Haokip on bail and on medical ground after the MLA executed a PR bond of Rs 10 lakh and surety of two Government employees.
The order was announced in an open Court today after it was kept reserved from June 24 following the hearing of the bail application by Yamthong Haokip (72) s/o (L) Holkhothang Haokip of Mantripukri through his counsel, Advocate P Ibomcha.
During the hearing, the counsel of Yamthong contended that the petitioner is the sitting MLA of Saikul AC and he was arrested by NIA on August 24 last year after he went to the NIA office on being summoned in connection with the missing case of 56 9 mm pistols from DG Pool Kote located at 2nd Manipur Rifles.
Stating that Yamthong Haokip was remanded in judicial custody at JNIMS security ward, the counsel submitted that during his stay in JNIMS, the MLA suffered from several complications and had to be shifted to JNIMS ICU/ ICCU ward.
It was further submitted that the allegations levelled against the petitioner are totally baseless and concocted and he has been falsely implicated by the prosecution without having any evidence to substantiate the charges and allegations.
No incriminating articles were seized from either his possession or at his instance, the counsel contended and added that the recovered arms and ammunition from the MLA's residence are all licensed guns, not the missing pistols from the arms kote.
The counsel also argued that there is not an iota of evidence which suggest that Yamthong Haokip is involved in any terrorist activities, except the allegation that he purchased some pistols from another accused Anilkumar, through his driver Thokchom Diamond and that he had given the same to KRA and UKLF which were found to be the missing 9 mm pistols.
On the other hand, the Special PP, NIA, submitted that during the interrogation of the accused individuals and MLA Yamthong Haokip, it was revealed that he (Yamthong) had received several consignment of the missing pistols and it was also ascertained that the MLA delivered the pistols to David Hangsing, self styled chairman of KRA, who also happens to be the son in law of Saitu MLA Ngamthang Haokip at Ngamthang's residence and also to Soson Haokip, self styled chairman of UKLF and some other outfits.
The Special PP also submitted that David Hangsing remained unavailable for investigation for some time but NIA managed to arrest him on August 24 and during interrogation, 6 of the missing 9 mm pistols were recovered.
David had also claimed that he had received a lot of money from Yamthong Haokip to work in his favour during the election.
Special PP further submitted that the petitioner is a politically and economically influential person and he had knowingly and actively participated in the commission of the crime.
The Court, after hearing both sides and after going through the case records as well as observing the health status of the petitioner, came to the conclusion the MLA is entitled to go on bail on merit as well as on medical ground.
As such, Yamthong Haokip was released after he executed a PR bond of Rs 10 lakh with 2 sureties of the same amount.
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