Alleged fake encounter case : 5 cops surrender before Court
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 27 2019: Five cops against whom Chief Judicial Magistrate Imphal West issued summons on September 12 , surrendered before the Court today.

They were however released on bail after furnishing a PR bond of Rs 50,000 and one surety of the same amount each.

On September 12, CJM Imphal West had issued summons to the five cops directing them to appear before the Court on October 17 in connection with the charge sheet submitted by CBI/ SIT concerning the alleged fake encounter/extra judicial killing of one Khumbongmayum Orsonjit at Taothong Makha Leikai on March 12 of 2010 .

The cops, identified as then Havildar Laishram Premkumar s/o Lukhoi of Haobam Marak Keisham Leikai, then Havildar Leichongbam Romesh s/o Chaoba of Vijang (near Tuibong forest gate, Churachandpur), then Constable Md Ibomcha Shah s/o Md Latif Ali of Yairipok Tulihal, then Constable Ankub Luther Kom s/o (L) Sothang Kom of Thayong village (Lamlai) and Khwai-rakpam Somendro s/o Ibochou of Thanga Oinam Khwairakpam Leikai appeared before the Court with their respected counsels today and filed applications for leave to surrender and to release them on bail.

The Court went through the applications filed by the counsels of the accused cops and satisfied with the materials, allowed them to surrender and let them go on bail after executing a PR bond of Rs 50,000 each along with surety of the same amount.

The Court also ordered relevant papers of the charge sheet to be submitted to the cops and fixed October 17 for committing the charge sheet.

It may be mentioned that the charge sheet was submitted by the CBI in May this year against the five cops and it mentioned that CBI/SIT started investigating the death of Khumbongmayum Orsonjit based on an FIR of Lamshang PS of March 16, 2010, which was submitted by one of the accused cops, havildar Laishram Premkumar.

The report filed by the cop stated that on that day (March 16), at around 2.30 pm, after receiving reliable information that armed UG cadres were roaming on an Activa in and around Tharoijam and Taothong area, a police team rushed to the spot and conducted frisking-checking at Taothong Makha Leikai area.

During the check, a person riding an Activa was seen coming towards them and they signalled him to stop.

However, the report claimed that the driver (Kh Orsonjit) began firing towards the police team and as such, the police team retaliated resulting in Orsonjit being shot to death on the spot.

The report continued that one .32 pistol with two live ammunition rounds and empty cases along with one mobile phone and an RC book of the vehicle, were recovered from the deceased as well.

The charge sheet explained that as per the investigation by CBI/SIT, it came to light that the deceased was working with M/S Zingchar Bio Initiatives, as an oil refiller for BTS tower of Tata Indicom and in the morning of day of the incident, he had left home at around 8.30 am after informing his mother that he was going to get his vehicle repaired.

On the same day, Orsonjit's father received a phone call at around 11 am from a person (who introduced himself as a friend of his son), telling him that his son had been arrested by some commando personnel from near OK Hotel.

Upon enquiry by the family members, it was learned that Orsonjit was arrested by commando personnel in civilian clothes, from OK Hotel near MG Avenue and was taken away in a Rakshak vehicle.

Some of the family members then went to Imphal West commando complex at around 2 pm the same day to enquire about Orsonjit and while they were giving details about Orsonjit, a message was received in the police wireless set mentioning that an Activa borne youth had been killed in an encounter with a commando team.

The submitted charge sheet further mentioned that when the family members asked about the incident, the police only informed them that the person killed in the encounter is very young but refused to divulge any further information despite repeated requests.

Later, at around 5.30 pm, it was learned that it was Orsonjit who had been killed in the supposed encounter and his body had been deposited at RIMS morgue, after which some of the family members went to RIMS morgue and confirmed that it was Orsonjit.

It was further mentioned that during the investigation by CBI, some of the witnesses from near the incident site stated that the incident occurred between 1 pm and 1.10 pm of May 16 .

The post mortem report of the deceased also mentioned that 5 bullet wounds were found on the body, apart from the presence of lacerated wounds on the fingers of the deceased.

The charge sheet further mentioned that as per the report of the commando personnel, the deceased had fired a single bullet at them and as such, firing 41 bullets against the deceased definitely comes under excessive use of force, especially when the deceased was alone and not more than two live cartridges and one empty were recovered from the encounter site.

The five trained commando personnel had the opportunity to overpower the deceased person, the CBI charge sheet mentioned adding that the commando personnel had created a false story to screen themselves from the crime.

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