Nungba police formally arrest UNC leaders
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 11 2017: Nungba police have formally arrested UNC president Gaidon Kamei and information secretary Shangkhel Stephen and they have been remanded to police custody till January 17 .

The UNC leaders were produced before the Court of CJM, Imphal East today by a team of Tadubi police station after they had been remanded for 10 days in connection with FIR case number 5(11) 2016 .

As the UNC leaders were produced before the Court, their counsel N Mahendra filed remand objection and a bail application under Section 437 CrPC.

The defence counsel argued that allegations levelled against the two UNC leaders in the police FIR and other documents were false and concocted.

He maintained that the accused persons are innocent and they have been falsely implicated in the case.

No incriminating material has been recovered either from the possession or at their instance during the course of investigation.

Nothing has been established to connect the accused with the alleged commission of offence.

There is no likelihood that the alleged accused would be absconding on their release on bail since they are firmly rooted in the society, argued the defence counsel.

However, the bail prayer was strongly objected by the APP of the State and the OC of Tadubi police station.

The IO in his report submitted that the accused created enmity between different communities of Manipur by imposing the indefinite economic blockade, apart from creating trouble to the public.

The accused UNC leaders also instructed their members/volunteers to carry out prejudicial activities along National Highways and threatened drivers of various types of vehicles which are plying along both the National Highways, submitted the IO.

On account of such instigations, communal harmony has been jeopardised, the IO reported.

After hearing both the defence counsel and the APP, the Court opined that there is prima facie evidence against the accused persons which could not be ruled out at the present stage and rejected the bail plea.

Subsequently, the Court remanded the two UNC leaders to judicial custody till January 25 .

In the meantime, Nungba police sought due permission of the Court to arrest the two UNC leaders in connection with FIR case no 48(11) 2016, Nungba police station.

With due permission of the Court, Nungba police formally arrested Gaidon and Stephen and the Court remanded them to police custody till January 17 .

Nungba police submitted before the Court that one Khangembam Lakpati lodged a written complaint to their OC on November 24 last year stating that at around 8.30 pm of November 23, some unknown miscreants suspected to be supporters of UNC's economic blockade set ablaze a Tata truck loaded with rice at Sibilong as he was driving the truck from Jiribam towards Imphal.

The UNC leaders, on their part, submitted before the Court that they were served only red tea twice daily in addition to lunch and dinner.

They pleaded the Court to make proper breakfast and tiffin service accessible to them.

Subsequently, the Court directed police to provide breakfast and tiffin service to the accused and also medical treatment every 48 hours.

Later the Court asked Nungba police to produce the two alleged accused before the Court on January 17 .

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