SC raps Govt on Lukhosei case
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, March 25 2022:
Pulling up the government of Manipur on the multi-crore drug haul case of 2018 involving an elected people's representative, the Supreme Court has asked the state government to furnish reason for not making appeal on the acquittal of former ADC Chandel Lukhosei Zou by special court NDPS on December 17, 2020 .
During hearing of the case on Friday at Court No 6 comprising justices SK Kaul and MM Sundresh, the apex court pulled up Manipur government and asked reason for not making appeal when special court NDPS acquitted Lukhosei Zou from the sensational drug haul case and directed Government of Manipur to furnish reply within April 29 .
Advocates Jogesh, Gosalves, M Gunedhor, Chongtham Victor and Olivia Bang took part in the hearing through video conferencing from the side of the petitioners.
Mention may be made here that investigating agency filed charge-sheet against Lukhosei Zou on December 15, 2018 and accordingly he was granted interim bail on health ground on December 19 the same year.
After he failed to appear before the court on January 8, 2019 and went missing for a long time, Lukhosei Zou was declared absconder and later surrendered to the court in February 2020.Though elected on INC ticket as member of ADC Chandel and became chairman of the ADC, Lukhosei Zou joined BJP and formed Chandel local body administration led by BJP.