Imphal, December 17 2010: A local court here on Thurdsay declared eight members of the Kuki National Front (KNF) who have been accused of involving in a kidnapping case as proclaimed offenders.

The case is related with the kidnapping of two staff of Controller of Aerodrome, Airport Authority of India, Imphal 12-year back in February 1998 which Singjamei police registered a case under section 120-B/366/213/34 of Indian Penal Code on received of a complaint from AAI, Imphal authority.

On February 24, 1998, after KNF activists taken into captivity two staff of the AAI Imphal, House Keeper AK Borah and JAA PB Chhetry, served a demand letter to the AAI for payment of Rs five lakh each as ransom for safe release of the duo.

The letter was signed by its deputy finance secretary Robert Kuki.

It also threatened that their lives will be at stake if the demand is met on or before February 26, 1998 .

Police rescued the two kidnapped staff from a vacant house belongs to Tangkhothang Kuki near the Langol Housing Complex where they were found keep conceal under lock and key around 3 pm of February 26 .

The main accused Letminthang Haokip was arrested by the police on April 4 of the same year and during the course of interrogation, police came to know that he abducted the two AAI staff on February 22 at about 1 pm from the Imphal airport car parking.

He further admitted that he alone kidnapped the two staff taking advantage that he is well known to the two staff as he used to stay with them in the Airport Quarter Colony, Imphal.

From his disclosure police also came to know that Letminthang served the demand letter in the name of KNF finance secretary, K Robert.

Police, in its charge-sheet submitted to the court, pointed eight other cadres of the KNF as co-accused in the kidnapping among who seven of them charged actively involved in the kidnapping case.

Some of the alleged accused had already been arrested by the police in the later part of the days.

The Chief Judicial Magistrate, Imphal West declared them as proclaimed offenders Thursday as they failed to give positive response to the summoned order of the court and police returned the warrant of arrest issued against them saying that they absconded to avoid the service of the said warrant.

The eight activists declared as proclaim offenders are Letminthang Haokip (20) son of Haokhosei of Kanglatongbi Orphan village at present at Imphal Airport Colony quarter no.4 G type-II, Lalwinson Lotjen (22) son of late James of Kangchup Chingkhong at present at Langol Housing complex quarter no 82 sec G type-III, Thangkholun (26) son of late Thangsei Lupheng of Nongdam Kuki village, Saikhotingam @ Ngamcha @ Ngamboi (23) son of L Shohen Luphou dam, Mangminlianliang Haokip @ thangboi @ Wibon (23) son of late Lakholun of Bongbai Khullen, Thangsonmang Zou @ Jongtha 2 Monou (22) son of late Khupel Zou of Sumchinvum village under Sighat police station, Monglun Haokpi (28) son of Seijamang of Mongbung village, Churachandpur and Manlun Zamkhomang @ Mang (35) son of M Zenghen of Khongkhujang village at present Churachandpur.

They are required to appear before the court on January 10 at 10.30 am, the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Imphal West said in the ruling declaring them as proclaimed offenders.

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