Torture in AR custody case ; IO submits report to Court
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 08 2017:
SDPO Lamphel, Okramcha Wangkhomba has submitted his report before the Court of JMIC Imphal West II on June 30, that a letter has been sent to SP Imphal West for ensuring the presence of the officers and personnel involved in the arrest of W Basanta, before the Investigating Officer of the case for necessary examination .
The IO report was submitted as per the direction given by the JMIC Imphal West I Court to register an FIR against the Commanding Officer of 34 Assam Rifles and to submit the findings and action taken report before June 30 regarding the alleged third degree assault case of 43 year old PREPAK (pro) cadre, W Basanta in AR custody .
The report mentioned that during the course of investigation, examining and recording the statement of the victim, he stated that on May 30, at around 10 am, he met one Sunil of Langol Type III and borrowed some money to buy medicine for his ailing father who was hospitalised at RIMS (ICU) .
Sunil gave him one thousand rupees and thereafter, both of them headed towards RIMS hospital in Basanta's Maruti van .
On the way to the hospital, a Maruti Gypsy with seven to eight personnel dressed in civvies, mostly non Manipuri and looking like security personnel, overtook the van near the Home Guard Office and as a result his van hit the left backside of the Gypsy .
According to the report, Basanta stated that the occupants of the Gypsy started assaulting him and a scuffle broke out.
He called Sunil but he did not come to help and the occupants of the Gypsy blindfolded him and took him to an unknown location.
He explained that he was rushing to attend to his ailing father in the hospital but to no avail .
After around three hours later, he arrived at the AR camp and he was assaulted with heated iron rods, belts, bamboo sticks and also tortured by pouring water on his nose and mouth, cutting his private part with blades and rubbing king chilly on the wounds, his eyes, nose, mouth and anus .
The IO report stated that at around 10.50 pm of June 1, Basanta was handed over by AR personnel to Imphal police station along with one 9 mm pistol and three live ammunition rounds and a magazine, a Lemon mobile phone and the Maruti van along with the registration documents as a PREPAK (Pro) cadre.
On June 2, Basanta was re-arrested by Sekmai police station and remanded to 5 days police custody by JMIC Imphal West II and during the police custody remand, he was medically examined at CHC Sekmai and RIMS for treatment and check up .
Basanta was again taken to RIMS on June 5 for further treatment and check up and he was produced before JMIC Imphal West II for remand but the Court released Basanta on bail.
It also mentioned that, as further investigation, a letter has been submitted to SP Imphal West for ensuring the presence of the officers and personnel involved, before the IO for examination.
On June 16, a prayer had been submitted to the CJM Imphal West for passing an order to record the statement of W Basanta .
Copies of FIR taken up by Sekmai and Imphal police stations were seized for further investigation regarding the case and some related documents regarding medical examinations and the investigation are kept pending for further investigation.
It may be mentioned that the JMIC Imphal West II Court had also directed W Basanta to appear before the Court on July 29 .