Imphal, September 27 2010: Bail has been granted to nine police personnel, accused in the CBI chargesheet on the July 23, 2009 Khwairamband Bazar shooting incident in which a former militant and a housewife were killed and injuring five others.

The trial will start tomorrow in the court of District and Session Judge, Manipur East.

The court of Imphal West District Magistrate K Brajakumar Sharma today granted bail to the nine police personnel including the City Police OC who has been separately charged of trying to destroy evidence related to the case.

City police OC, inspector Y Munal was asked to furnish a personal bond of Rs 20,000 with one local solvent surety of the like amount, while it was Rs 50,000 for the remaining eight personnel including the then OC of the Bazar Unit of Imphal West police commandos.

The CJM court, while granting bail, stated that acused Y Munal, charged for commission of offences punishable under section 34 of IPC read with section 218 is given bail on his furnishing of PR Bond of Rs 20,000 with a surety amount of the like amount, provided that he shall not leave the state without prior permission of the court.

While granting bail to the rest, it is mentioned that as they were charged for the murder of the victim Ch Sanjit Meitei on July 23, 2009 in furtherance of their common intention to commit the said offence, granting of bail will be done on their furnishing PR Bond of Rs 50,000 only with surety of the like amount for each of them.

Other conditions are same as that ordered to Y Munal.

The eight personnel who were granted bail were Inspector of the Bazar Unit of Imphal West Police Commando, Hijam Debendra, constable Thounaojam Herojit, rifleman Ngangom Toyaima of 8th MR attached with Imphal West Police Commando Unit, constable Wahengbam Bioykumar, havildar Thokchom Jagat of 8th MR attached with Imphal west police commando unit, rifleman Md Imran Khan of 5th IRB, head constable Oinam Kishore and constable Makon Kanchung Chothe.

While granting bail, the court ordered that they should not leave the state except with the permission of the trial court during the period of trial, and in the event of securing bail "the accused persons shall not commit an offence similar to the offence they have been charged with, and they shall not directly or indirectly make any inducement, threat or promise to any persons acquainted with the facts of the case so as to dissuade him or her from disclosing such facts to the court and if it is so occurred or attempted to be so occurred, it shall amount to violation of the condition of bail and will lead to cancelation of their bails" .

All the nine alleged accused police personnel including City Police OC, Y Munal and the then OC of Bazar Unit of Imphal West Police Commando appeared in the court of Imphal West CJM where hearing of the bail applications filed by them was conducted.

The nine police personnel had surrendered to the same court two days back on Saturday before applying for bail even though they were booked under section 302/34, 218, 203 IPC and also under substantive offences.

For the CBI, the hearing was represented by its counsel, senior advocate SK Singh and assisted by advocate P Ibomcha and advocate Chitrabhanu while for the petitioners S Lakhikanta represented them praying the court to grant bail to the petitioners.

Even though, CBI counsel strongly argued against granting bail to the eight personnel who were booked under non-bailable offence, the counsel for the petitioners said that as they had surrendered voluntarily to the court, and that they had no intention to abscond from the case.

Instead they are ready to face trial before the court.

Objecting the arguments of the counsel of the petitioners, CBI counsels said that as they have been charged of murder, they may abscond once they are granted bails.

Court had issued non-bailable arrest warrants against the eight police commandos except the City Police OC who could obtain bail.

The CBI investigating the controversial July 23, 2009 shoot out incident at crowded Khwairamband Bazar had charged eight personnel directly involved in the killing of former militant, Ch Sanjit in a staged 'encounter' after overpowering him while the Imphal City Police OC, inspector Y Munal was charged of attempting to eliminate evidence of the case.

After granting bail, the CJM transferred the case to the District and Session Judge, Manipur East to conduct a trial and directed the charged personnel to appear in the court tomorrow, for the first day of the hearing of the trial.

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