Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 22 2010:
To take up necessary action, a departmental inquiry has been instituted against the police personnel who were allegedly involved in the custodial death of one Meghamani from brutal torture.
The departmental inquiry has been instituted following an order from a Division Bench of the Gauhati High Court, Imphal on August 23 .
The Court asserted that Meghamani died in police custody from excessive torture.
Along with the directive of instituting a departmental inquiry to be conducted by a senior police officer not below the rank of DGP or DIG, the court order also directed that the Government to pay Rs 2.5 lakh each as compensation to Chingkhei and Maichon, the surviving son and daughter respectively of the victim.
The amount have to be deposited against their names in a Nationalised bank till they attained 21 years of age.
A resident of Pallel Mamang Leikai under Thoubal district, Kshetrimayum Meghamani had been arrested taken into custody by Kakching Police on January 17, 2006 in connection with the death of his wife the previous day.
The following day, Meghamani was produced before Thoubal CJM and was subsequently remanded to police custody for six days.
However, before the end of remand period, Meghamani was reproduced before the same court on January 20 and remanding him to judicial custody.
On the same night, he died in Sajiwa Central Jail.
Ghane Singh, father of the deceased filed a case in the high court contending that his son died from brutal torture in police custody.
A circular issued by IG (Administration) T Pachau on September 18 announced appointment of DIG Range-I M Shantikumar to conduct the departmental inquiry.