Kakching murder accused remanded
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 27 2026:
Salam Oken, the accused in the murder case of Chingakham Malemnganba has been remanded in judicial custody.
Salam Oken (39), a personnel of 7th IRB presently attached to Kakching Commando Unit was produced before the Court of Judicial Magistrate First Class, Kakching today after the completion of police custody period along with a prayer for judicial custody remand.
An APP of the State submitted that during further interrogation in police custody, Salam Oken Meitei s/o Thabal of Tejpur Awang Leikai disclosed that in January this year while he was searching for his uniform in a trunk for preparation of Republic Day duty, he came across one keypad mobile handset inside the trunk.
Out of curiosity and suspicion, he checked the phone and discovered a large number of SMS messages exchanged between his wife and (late) Ch Malemnganba.
The nature, tone and frequency of those messages clearly indicated that they had extra marital affairs and were in close contact over a period of time, Oken said.
On further examination, several messages containing explicit and suggestive contents were discovered.
Based on such contents, the accused had strong reason to believe that his wife and Malemnganba were involved in extra marital relationship and had physical relations on many occasions, the APP said.
The accused further disclosed that after reading all those messages, he became emotionally disturbed, distressed and deeply upset leading to serious argument between him and his wife.
The next day, he informed and narrated to the parents of his wife about the entire incident and requested them to come immediately and take his wife with them.
However Oken's mother-in-law requested that the matter be resolved amicably, considering the future and well being of their two sons.
On further interrogation, the accused stated that he began inquiring into his wife's behaviour and learned that his wife had gone out together with the victim on several occasions and further learned that his wife was seen in a Youtube video in connection with an accident that took place at Kakching Lamkhai.
The accident involved a vehicle belonging to Malemnganba and a Tata Yodha.
In the Youtube video, Oken's wife was seen standing beside Malemnganba's vehicle at the site of the accident.
Oken said that, after watching the video, he became more distressed and confronted his wife about the incident and resolved to confront Chingakham Malemnganba at the first opportunity available, even to the extent of killing him.
The accused disclosed that on March 13 while he was at Wangjing, he noticed Malemnganba in the area heading towards Thoubal so he decided to wait at Keirak area and kill Malemnganba.
On the same day at around 4.30 pm he went out from his house along with the short double barrel-folding gun with four live rounds and waited for Malemnganba at Keirak near the Mosque along the inter-village road to Tejpur.
At around 6 pm, Oken saw Malemnganba in a four-wheeler heading toward Tejpur.
Oken pulled up his vehicle in front of Malemnganba and asked the latter to get down from the vehicle.
However Malemnganba refused to come down.
Soon after, the accused shot twice on the right face of Malemnganba inside the vehicle and the victim died on the spot, the APP submitted.
The accused then immediately fled from the spot toward Serou.
On the way, he threw the double-barrel gun into a pond in between RDO & MPA clubs located at Thounaojam Khunjin toward Kakyai Khong side after being loaded with two live rounds.
While passing Waikhong, the accused contacted his wife over the phone and informed that he had finished "your second husband." The Court, on perusal of the case record and after hearing the submission of the APP, remanded the accused in judicial custody till April 10.Notably one Kangabam Amujao (26) s/o (L) Ratan of Kumbi Bazar Khaidem Leikai, a co-accused of the case was picked up from his residence on March 22 .
On interrogation, he disclosed his involvement along with Oken in the commission of the offence and was remanded in police custody till March 30 .
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