Loitam Richard case: State approves CBI enquiry
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, May 26 2012:
The State Government has finally decided to take up the controversial case of Loitam Richard with the Government of Karnataka and insist for a CBI enquiry.
An official source informed that the State Government decided to approach the Government of Karnataka formally and ask for CBI enquiry in view of the sustained protest movements being spearheaded by different student organisations in the State in protest against the alleged murder of Richard.
Neither the Centre nor the Government of Manipur has any authority to institute a CBI enquiry into the controversial murder case of Richard without consent of the Government of Karnataka.
That was why, the Government of Manipur decided to ask Karnataka Government to formally hand over the case to CBI.
Chief Minister O Ibobi would write an official letter to his Karnataka counterpart DV Gowda on May 28 in this regard.
After one SP of Manipur Police was sent to Bangalore to collect first hand information about the controversial case, there has been no formal correspondence from the side of Karnataka Government.
Chief Minister Okram Ibobi had already stated that the State Government was insisting upon the Centre to institute a CBI enquiry in the controversial death with due consent of the Government of Karnataka.
Meanwhile, State Police have instructed all non-local labourers not to venture out at night or go to far off places where presence of security personnel is minimal.
Notably, several student bodies have banned all the products manufactured in or originated from Karnataka.