CBI to probe Rozer and BSEM chairman murder case
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, March 28 2011: The government will ask the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe the alleged murder of Irom Rozer by minister Biren's son on March 20 last and as well as the murder of N Kunjabihari, chairman of the Board of Secondary Education Manipur by misctreants on January 11 of this year.

A Cabinet meeting of the SPF government approved the proposal of the state Home Department to handover the two cases to the CBI, an official source said.

The cabinet meeting, started from 2 pm and ended around 6 pm.

The Cabinet agreed to entrust the CBI to investigate into the two cases considering the sensitive nature of the cases and in accordance to the demands from various sections of the society, including the JACs formed in connection with the two shooting incidents, a highly reliable source said.

Police department also wanted to handover the cases to an independent investigating agency, the source disclosed.

IFCD minister N Biren's son, N Ajay (27) is currently in judicial custody along with his four friends, who were with him at the time of commission of the crime.

Police booked them under section 302 (murder)/34 of IPC read with section 27 of Arms Act.

Apart from demanding resignation of the IFCD minister, the family of the victim, opposition political parties and civil societies have been demanding a probe by an independent investigating agency preferably by the CBI into the murder case.

Earlier in the day, a sit-in-protest was staged at Wangkhei Angom Leikai demanding the resignation of N Biren as minister.

Participants in the sit-in protest insisted that Biren should resign from the ministership on moral grounds since his son has surrendered to the police.

Befitting punishment should be awarded to the culprit(s) in the murder of Rozer, they further demanded.

Around 60 people participated in the sit-in-protest which was begun from around 10 am and went on till 4 pm.

N Kunjabihari, the chairman of the BSEM, was shot dead by some miscreants in his office chamber located at the highly secured Bapupara area on the evening of January 11, 2011.Police had arrested two persons, Potshangbam Opendro alias Pukchao (43) of Mayang Imphal Konchak and Yumnam Somendro @ Tiken (35) of Churachandpur Thengra Leirak presently residing at Thangapat Konung Leikai, in connection with the murder of BSEM chairman and are in judicial custody till date.

They were booked by the Imphal PS under section 302 of IPC, 25(1-B) of Arms Act and 16/20 Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Amendment Act.

They were arrested following investigations of cell phone number 8974893522.Local newspapers had reported that one Brojendro Luwang had used the phone number to threaten Kunjabihari of dire consequences if he became the BSEM chairman.

The demand for handing over the case to CBI has been a long pending demand of various sections of the society as well as political parties.

The cabinet also approved the recommendation to the Governor for prolongation of the 10th session of the ninth state Assembly, amalgamation of the Tribal Development and Hills with MOBC and to upgrade 364 government primary schools in hill districts to upper primary level and 134 lower primary schools to primary level.

Other agenda discussed and approved by the cabinet were appointment of coaches of rowing, canoeing, kayaking and wresting events in the youth affairs and sports department, to fill up 12 vacant posts of physicians of homeopathic, AYUSH and medicinal plants in the state health department.

Appointment of retired L Kulachandra as under secretary (DP/Cabinet) on contract basis for one year was also approved by the cabinet.

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