Gaidon, Stephen remanded till Jan 11
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 02 2017: Even as the counsel of arrested president of United Naga Council (UNC) president Gaidon Kamei, informed the Court that his client has already appealed to the concerned to lift the ongoing economic blockade, the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Imphal East has remanded Gaidon and UNC information secretary Shangkhel Stephen to police custody till January 11 .

Advocate N Mahendra Singh, defence counsel of the two UNC leaders said before the Court that Gaidon Kamei has already appealed to representatives of Naga people to lift the indefinite economic blockade.

Earlier today, Gaidon Kamei pleaded before the Court to release him on bail so that he can meet and talk with other representatives and to resolve the issue of economic blockade.

Gaidon, Stephen remanded till Jan 11

After the Court gave permission to the prayer made by Gaidon Kamei to make an appeal through his defence counsel through the media persons who were gathered at the Court complex, Advocate N Mahendra said that UNC president Gaidon Kamei had already written a letter to Naga leaders to lift the ongoing economic blockade.

The defence counsel, however, said that he was not aware of the exact contents of the letter sent by Gaidon Kamei.

He also said that some decisions were taken by the UNC in Gaidon's absence and he was not responsible for those decisions.

Notably, Gaidon Kamei and Stephen have been lodged in police and judicial custody since November 25 last year in connection with different FIR cases.

Advocate N Mahendra said that no one is allowed to meet Gaidon Kamei even himself since November 25 .

While the UNC leaders have been remanded to judicial custody till January 16 regarding an FIR case taken up by Nungba police station, they have been formally arrested by Tadubi police and taken into custody till January 11 .

The IO of the case submitted their report along with a prayer for remanding the UNC leaders to judicial custody for an extended period.

IO in his report submitted that the accused created enmity between different communities of Manipur by imposing the indefinite economic blockade, apart from creating trouble to the public. The accused UNC leaders also instructed their members/ volunteers to carry out prejudicial activities along National highways and threatened drivers of various types of vehicles which are plying along both the National Highways, submitted the IO.

On account of such instigations, communal harmony has been jeopardised, the IO reported.

On the other hand, the accused through their learned counsel filed a joint application for remand objection and granting of bail under Section 437 CrPC.

The defence counsel pleaded the Court to grant bail on the ground that the accused persons are peace loving and law abiding citizens having their permanent residences at Noney and Komsem village respectively and married.

The defence counsel also submitted that the accused persons were innocent and they were falsely implicated in the case.

There was not an iota of evidence for justifying the false implication, they argued.

The bail prayer was strongly objected by the APP and the OC of Nungba police station.

The Court, after perusing the material on record including the case diary, ruled that there was prima facie evidence against the accused persons and rejected the bail plea.

Subsequently the accused persons were remanded to judicial custody till January 16 .

Meanwhile, Tabudi police station prayed before the Court for formal arrest of the two UNC leaders in connection with FIR number 5(11) 2016 .

The Court, apart from allowing Tadubi police to arrest Gaidon and Stephen, remanded to them to police custody till January 11 .