Remanded
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 06 2023:
One Supervisor Kanungo has been remanded to judicial custody in connection with a case of manipulating land records.
Supervisor Kanungo Shamurailatpam Jiten (49) s/o (L) Kulachandra of Kakwa Asem Leikai was produced before the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Imphal West today by a team of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption police station Manipur after completion of police custody period along with a prayer for judicial remand.
The defence counsel of the accused filed a remand objection and prayed for releasing the accused on bail.
Through an APP, the IO of the case submitted that the accused was arrested on February 1 from the front of SDC Imphal West, Central Manipur in connection with a vigilance case.
In compliance with an order passed by DC Imphal West on February 3, 2021 in a mutation case, the ownership of the land under patta number 2044 measuring an area of 0.09143 acre situated in Keishamthong was restored to Khuraijam Biramani, the complainant of the present case, from Luwangthem Priyokanta.
On January 17 last year, Luwangthem Priyokanta filed a petition before the DC Imphal West requesting for rectification of the land record as per the mutation case and the accused was assigned as Supervisor Kanungo in-charge, SDC Imphal Central for conducting enquiry on February 3 last year.
In compliance with the DC's order, the accused submitted his enquiry report the next date by concealing the facts of the order.
During the course of investigation, it was revealed that the accused compared the manual jamabandis with the computerized ones and concluded that the petition filed by Luwangthem Priyokanta was true and accordingly 'rectified' the land record.
The alleged illegal act of the accused proved that there was a clear criminal conspiracy between Shamurailatpam Jiten and Luwangthem Priyokanta to cheat and illegally change ownership of the homestead land, the IO submitted.
It was further submitted that the accused who holds the post of Supervisor Kanungo in the office of SDC Imphal West Central was entrusted with the preparation of correct land record but committed a criminal breach of trust in respect of the property of Khuraijam Biramani Singh by preparing an incorrect report based on which the DC Imphal West passed an order which was subsequently misused by the accused to change the ownership of the homestead land from Khuraijam Biramani to accused Luwangthem Priyokanta.
One of the accused in the present case has been evading police arrest and absconding while another has taken interim anticipatory bail.
There are some more documents which need to be seized, the IO said.
More thorough investigation is required to unearth the whole nexus involved in the criminal act of manipulating land record, the IO said and prayed for remanding Shamurailatpam Jiten in judicial custody.
The Court, on perusal of the case record and after hearing the submission of the APP and the defence counsel, remanded Shamurailatpam Jiten in judicial custody till February 20 .