NIA Court takes cognizance of charge sheet
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, February 09 2023: The Special Court NIA Manipur today took cognizance of a charge sheet filed against 7 RPF/PLA cadres accused of their involvement in killing non locals at Kakching and Huikap last year.

All the accused persons except Rishikanta @ Naorem Ranbir, a self-styled Lieutenant Colonel of PLA/RPF have been arrested and are in judicial custody.

The accused persons include one juvenile.

The accused persons excluding the juvenile have been identified as Chingkham Basanta (38) S/o Ningthembi of Andro Nungyungbi; Moirangthem Jitesh (22) S/o (L) Sanjit of Kakching Ningthou Leikai; Konjengbam Romio @ Nongthon (28) S/o Raghu of Moirang Konjengbam; Naorem Manoj (23) S/o Nobin of Luker Mayai Leikai; Thambalmani @ Laila @ Ema (46) W/o Md Tomba of Yairipok Singa Ethai Mapal and self-styled Lieutenant Colonel of PLA/RPF Rishikanta @ Naorem Ranbir, S/o Nilamani of Kakching Mayai Leikai.

In the hearing today, the NIA Court perused the material on records and took cognizance of the case under different sections of the Indian Penal Code, Arms Act and the Explosive Substance Act against the accused persons and registered a case for trial.

The Court order mentions that the accused, self-styled Lieutenant Colonel Rishikanta is an absconder and a warrant of arrest against him was issued on January 20 in connection with the case.

The Court fixed March 13 for furnishing relevant papers of the charge sheet and also allowed the NIA to continue further investigation of the case.

It may be noted that in compliance with an order of the Ministry of Home Affairs Government of India on September 26 last year, the NIA Imphal Branch had re-registered the case arising out of an FIR registered by Yairipok police station on August 13 last.

When the accused persons were arrested in August last year, the police had also recovered arms and explosive items from their possession.

Charges were levelled against them for their alleged involvement in the killing of non-locals at Kakching and Huikap in the months of June and July last year.

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