Police charge-sheet 10 electricity defaulters
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, January 25, 2011:
Eighteen alleged defaulting electricity consumers arrested during drives by a joint team of the police and the electricity department were produced in the court of Special Court (Electricity), Manipur East, A Guneshwor today.
Police has taken remand of 17 of them while one defaulter was released on medical grounds.
Out of 18 defaulters, 16 were arrested by the Imphal PS and Singjamei PS and two by the Porompat PS.
They have been booked under section 151 of the Manipur (Electricity) Act 2003 read with section135 of the same Act.
While producing them in the court, the police also submitted charge-sheets for 10 defaulters (eight arrested by Singjamei PS and two by Porompat PS).
For the other eight Imphal PS prayed the court for remand into their custody.
During the hearing, Sanajaoba, assistant public prosecutor claimed that the police has enough evidence to prove the 10 defaulters can be put to trial.
He prayed the court not to grant bail to them.
Counsels of the defaulters, however, argued that the Act is not fully implemented in the state.
The counsels said there is no problem in conducting a trial against them but prayed for their release on bail.
They also argued that out of the 18 defaulters, two are women and another is an old man.
Taking them to further remand will cause inconveniences.
After hearing observations of the counsels of both sides, the judge, Guneshwor ruled out releasing the defaulters on bail saying that the section applied on them was non-bailable, but he ruled to release one on bail on medical grounds.
He further directed the police to produce the defaulters at 3 pm of January 27 in the same court for further hearing.
He also directed the Imphal PS to submit charge-sheets for the remaining eight defaulters on the same day.