Imphal, November 26 2009: PG Agarwal Commission enquiring into the July 23 incident of Khwairamband market today directed authority to summon two journalists of Delhi-based weekly news magazine, Tehelka to appear before the commission to give their statements.

The one-man Commission of inquiry of Justice (Retd) PG Agarwal conducted its hearing at Imphal Hotel, North AOC here today.

After taking statements of two persons-an Assam Rifles man injured in the incident and proprietor of a watch repairing shop, where the former militant, Ch Sanjit was shot dead by police commandos, the Commission ordered for summonning two journalists of Tehelka, who exposed the story behind the incident with sequences of photographs of police commandos escorting Sanjit before killing him.

Teresa Rehman of Tehelka exposed the July 23 incident as "fake encounter" with sequences of 12 photographs showing the moments before, during and after the 'encounter killing' of 27 year-old Sanjit by a heavily-armed team of Manipur police commandos, in her article "Murder in Plain Sight" (Tehelka, Vol 6, Issue 31, Dated August 08, 2009) .

Shoma Chaudhury, another journalist of the same magazine wrote "Life in Shadow Land" (Vol 6, Issue 32, Dated August 15, 2009) as followed up report in the wake of eruption of public agitations which state government led to the imposition of curfew prohibiting people moving outside in Imphal east and west district.

The commission decided to summon the two columnists asking the police to make necessary arrangement of furnishing the summon letters through the editor in-chief of the magazine Tarun J Tejpal in New Delhi to ensure their appearance in the next hearing of the commission on December 16, 2009 .

"Let the summons be served through Tarun J Tejpal, Editor, Tehelka Weekly.

The two witnesses are required to depose in connection with their stories published in Vol 6, Issue 31, Dated August 08, 2009 and Vol 6, Issue 32, Dated August 15, 2009," the order stated.

Earlier, the commission recorded statements of a personnel of the 3 Assam Rifles, P Lukhoi and owner of the watch repairing shop at BT Road where the former militant Ch Sanjit was shot dead by the police commandos.

In this statement, Lukhoi said that he met the incident while going with one of his colleagues, Th James on a motorcycle for official duty.

They passed through the BT road a work at MG Avenue after they enter to the office of the Crime Investigation Department (CID) of the Manipur police.

According to his disposal, the firing on that day was not from small gun but something big weapon like the AK-series rifles.

"I heard a burst firing from armed like AK-series but not of small weapons, Lukhoi said.

Mention may be made police commandos has been alleging Sanjit firing with a mouser gun they recovered from the spot nearby the dead body of Sanjit was found lying.

They also stated the Sanjit tried to escape from the police hand by firing from the small gun in his possession.

The owner of the watch repairing shop T Ranbir did not say anything except that Sanjit was killed at the room inside his shop used as godown.

At that time he was lying on the ground and could no nothing of the incident.

After recording his statement, the commission announced that the next hearing would be held at 10.30 am of December 16 and the same venue.

Comment