Bail for alleged drug kingpin
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 21 2020: Alleged drug kingpin former ADC Chandel Chairman Lhukhosei Zou was released on interim bail today on medical ground for a period of 3 weeks.

Special Court ND&PS granted the interim bail for Lhukhosei Zou to receive treatment and undergo cholecystectomy, a surgery to remove gallbladder.

The Court ordered his release on execution of PR bond of Rs 20,00,000 with two sureties of same amount.

The former ADC Chairman should not leave the State without prior permission of the Court, the order said.

Interestingly during the hearing today, the Court lashed out at Additional SP NAB for "threatening" a witness.

The Additional SP NAB had entered the Court without prior information and prayed before the Court through Special PP to allow her to put direct question to the witness identified as Dr TD Varneikip Chiru.

The Court however turned down the prayer and allowed the Special PP to ask questions to the witness instead.

Thereafter, while examining the witness, the Additional SP NAB "threatened the witness" prompting the witness to pray for protection.

The Court then asked the Special PP to "control" his client-Additional SP NAB.

"The manner in which the Addl SP NAB Manipur acted in the Court while examining the witness is very unfortunate and in my opinion, it seems that the lady police officer fails to respect and observe the decorum of the Court and it might be due to lack of supervision and instruction from higher officers of the Manipur Police Department," observed the Court.

During the hearing, the witness doctor claimed that Lhukhosei Zou is an old case of surgery Unit-I and she was on emergency duty when he was brought to ATC casualty, JNIMS.

She further maintained that as per examinations and medical reports, Lhukhosei Zou needs to undergo cholecystectomy.

The Special PP argued that Lhukhosei Zou was released on interim bail on December 19, 2018 and was in hiding for about 1 year after his release.

He might abscond again and tamper with the prosecution case, maintained the Special PP and prayed for rejection of the bail application.

The Court however after studying the medical records granted interim bail to Lhukhosei Zou for three weeks on condition that he shall not leave the State without informing the Court.

The Court also ordered Lhukhosei Zou to appear before the Court on June 12 without fail.

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