Verdict on triple murder deferred till Jan 25
Unhappy public questions rationale behind verdict postponement
Source: Hueiyen News Service / NNN

Imphal, January 18 2014 : With the judge on official tour, the much awaited verdict, which will decide the fate of NSCN-IM 'lieutenant colonel' Hopeson Ningshen in the abduction and subsequent murder of Dr Thingnam Kishan, the then SDO of Kasom Khullen and his two subordinate staffs, will now be known on January 25 .

Earlier, today (January 18) was fixed for the pronouncement of the verdict.

However, after Justice V.K Gupta, who is to pronounce the final verdict, has gone on an official tour, the matter pending in his CBI special Court at Patiala House, New Delhi on CBI vs Hopeson Ningshen (CC NO.36/10, RC No.IMPH-2009-S0002 & IMPH-2009-S0003-CBI-ACB IMPHAL) has been postponed to January 25 .

The main accused in the case, Hopeson Ningshen was produced as usual while one of the younger brothers of the deceased Dr Kishan was present from the side of the victims' families to hear the pronouncement of the final verdict in the court today.

But they were told about the postponement of the verdict till January 25 since Justice VK Gupta has gone on an official tour.

The unannounced official tour of Justice VK Gupta on the day of pronouncement of the verdict to a case which has dragged on for three years despite fixing the date himself has not gone down well with the people of Manipur who have been anxiously waiting for justice to the victims.

They have also questioned the rationale behind the postponement of the verdict till January 25, which is a Saturday, a half-holiday and to be followed by Sunday, which again happens to be Republic Day (January 26) .

It may be recalled here that a public meeting held on January 15 at Mapari Ningshingkol complex, Uripok Machin, where the mortal remains of the three victims namely, Dr Kishan, Revenue Mandal Yumnam Token and driver Aribam Rajen were laid to rest, had voiced that capital punishment should be awarded to Hopeson Ningthen.

Hopeson Ningshen, a self-styled lieutenant colonel of NSCN-IM and his cronies abducted Dr Kishan and his two subordinates from Ukhrul on February 13, 2009 and they were found murdered near Taphou Kuki village in Senapati district four days after.

The incident, which came to be known as triple murder case, sparked widespread protest crippling normal life in Manipur for weeks.

The CBI took up and registered a case in connection with the triple murder after it was handed over to the investigating agency by the State Government on January 31, 2010.The final hearing and argument of the case completed recently in the Special CBI Court after a three-year long trial.

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