Assassination of SDPO: Chargesheet submitted
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 04 2024:
Police have submitted a chargesheet to the Session Court, Imphal West a few days back against nine persons including one Myanmar National who were arrested in connection with the assassination of SDPO Moreh Chingtham Anand Kumar on October 31 morning last year.
Subsequently, the chargesheet and other related documents have been transferred to the Special Court NIA Manipur from the Session Court, Imphal West today.
The chargesheet was submitted against Philips Khaikholal Khongsai (45) s/ o (L) Marcus Khongsai of New Moreh Ward Number 8, Hemkholal Mate (35) s/o (L) Onkholun Mate, Letngam Lupho (55) s/o Jangkhothang Lupho of Yangoupokpi village, Jamkhohao Lupho (47) S/o Lhunkhopao Lupho of Yangoupokpi village, George Holkhosat Khongsai (24) s/o Jacob Ngamjathang Khongsai of Munnom Veng, Moreh Ward No 2, Letgoulen Doungel (25) s/o Lethang Doungel of Zion Veng near Moreh Sub Divisional Hospital, Jangkhohao Haokip (34) s/o (L) Jamkithang Haokip of Zion Veng near Moreh Sub Divisional Hospital, Jangkhomang Baite (21) s/o Holkhozam Baite of Munnom Veng Moreh and Ma Mong Shu (26) s/o (L) Mong Thong of Namphalong, Myanmar.
Philips Khaikholal Khongsai is a leader of the Moreh Defence Force trained and set up by UKLF.
He is also president of Moreh Youth Club and member of Kuki Inpi Tengnoupal.
Hemkholal Mate is Chief of K Moulsang village and leader of village volunteers force.
The chargesheet mentioned that on October 31 at around 9.40 am, Kuki militants fired towards a team of district police, Tengnoupal, Special Commando and 5 IRB at the playground of Eastern Shine School located at Moreh Turel Wangma, Ward No 7, by using illegal weapons while the police personnel were cleaning the playground.
In the incident, Chingtham Anand Kumar Singh, MPS, Sub Divisional Police Officer, Moreh was hit by a bullet on his stomach.
He was rushed to PHC, Moreh immediately but he succumbed to the injuries.
A suo moto case was registered for investigation by Moreh police station.
Search operation was conducted at various places nearer the spot on November 1 morning.
In the process, one silencer (firearm) was found inside one deserted house opposite to the eastern sunshine playground located at Canan Veng Moreh Ward Number 7.Further, on November 4, 2023 morning, search operation was conducted at Yangoupokpi village, Zion Veng, and Munnom village, and during the search operation, Letngam Lupho (55) s/o Jangkhothang Lupho of Yangoupokpi village was arrested along with arms and ammunition from his possession around noon and on the same day another accused Jamkhohao Lupho (47) s/o Lhunkhopao Lupho of Yangoupokpi village was arrested along with some explosive materials from his possession at around 2 pm.
Further five more accused including one Myanmar National were also arrested on the same day in connection with the case and they were identified as George Holkhosat Khongsai (24) s/o Jacob Ngamjathang Khongsai of Munnom Veng, Letgoulen Doungel (25) s/o Lethang Doungel of Zion Veng near Moreh Sub Divisional Hospital, Jangkhohao Haokip (34) s/o (L) Jamkithang Haokip of Zion Veng near Moreh Sub Divisional Hospital, Jangkhomang Baite (21) s/o Holkhozam Baite of Munnom Veng and Ma Mong Shu (26) s/o (L) Mong Thong of Namphalong, Myanmar.
They revealed that they are members of the Village Defence Force trained and set up by UKLF and they are also involved in burning down/destroying houses and looting valuable properties from abandoned Meitei/Meetei houses of Moreh.
They also revealed that the accused Myanmar National illegally entered and stayed in Indian territory.
Further investigation revealed involvement of Philip Khaikholal Khongsai and Hemkholal Mate who is also a leader of the Village Volunteer Force in attacking the State police, Assam Rifles and other Central forces deployed at Moreh and two days before the incident Philip Khaikholal Khongsai and some of his associates came to the incident site and made an illogical argument with SDPO Ch Anand Kumar against cleaning Eastern Shine School ground and threatened the police personnel with dire consequences.
They waited for an opportune moment and committed the crime by using sophisticated weapons, according to the chargesheet.
Philip Khaikholal Khongsai and his associate Hemkholal Mate were arrested on January 15 by Special Commando in connection with the case.
After their arrest, security personnel deployed in Moreh were attacked with bombs and bullets on January 17 by heavenly armed Moreh Defence force/village volunteers Moreh along with Kuki militants operating in Moreh town and Myanmar.
Prosecution sanction has been accorded against the accused persons.
Prima facie evidence has been well established from the materials and documents collected during the investigation, it said.
Earlier in compliance with an order of the Ministry of Home Affairs issued on February 7 directing NIA Imphal to take up the investigation of the case, NIA had re-registered the FIR earlier registered at Moreh police station and filed an application before the Special Court NIA Manipur seeking all the case records and transfer of all judicial dockets to the present Court On February 10, the Special Court NIA Manipur had passed an order in connection with the application filed by NIA directing the Session Court Imphal West to hand over all the case related documents and seized materials/exhibits if any, to the Chief Investigating Officer of NIA at the earliest.
In compliance with the Court's order, all the case related documents and seized materials/exhibits were handed over to the Chief Investigating Officer of NIA from Session Court Imphal West along with a direction to produce the accused persons before the Special Court NIA Manipur.
The accused persons were produced before the Special Court NIA Manipur by a team NIA today afternoon through video conferencing and further remanded them in judicial custody.
Comment
