Alleged fake encounters case ; Four more cops charge sheeted
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 30 2018: CBI/ SIT submitted charge sheet against 4 police personnel, including one Sub Inspector Ksh Uttam Kumar, in connection with the death of one Laishram Ranbir on December 20, 2011 in an alleged fake encounter at Narayan Konjin along Chandranadi road, under Wangoi Police Station, Imphal West.

Following the submission of the charge sheet, the Chief Judicial Magistrate Imphal West issued summons to all the charge sheeted police personnel and directed them to reply on September 24.The charge sheet was submitted by VPS Mann, Investigating Officer (IO) Dy SP CBI, SC III, New Delhi, against four police personnel of Imphal West identified as SI Ksh Uttam s/o Ksh Dilip of Wangkhei Mayum Leikai (presently on deputation to NAB Manipur), Head Constable Kh Sushil Kumar s/o Kh Jugindro of Langthabal Mantrikhong Makha Leikai, Head Constable Laishram Dinachandra s/o L Joykumar of Langthabal Lep Makha Leikai and Rifleman Yumnam Santosh s/o (L) Y Kunjamani of Nilakuthi Awang Leikai.

The charge sheet was submitted by the CBI/SIT under section 34 IPC r/w 302 and 201 IPC.

After hearing and going through the charge sheet, the Court observed there is prime facie material for recognising the said offences.

The Court order mentioned that the case was registered on the direction of the Supreme Court regarding the death of one Laishram Ranbir (40) s/o L Ibobi of Uchiwa Awang Leikai.

The Court also opined that prosecution sanctions against the accused police personnel are not required and the personnel did not appear to be discharging their official duties in committing the alleged offences of the case and as such the Court registered a Cril (P) case.

Furthermore, the Court issued summons to all the accused police personnel to reply on September 24.CBI/ SIT registered an FIR after taking over the investigation of the FIR by Wangoi PS.

However in view of adverse observation of the Supreme Court for taking up the case against the deceased instead of the alleged killers (security personnel) another FIR was registered against some police commandos of Imphal West and Imphal East, on the basis of the findings of NHRC New Delhi.

It was alleged in the submitted charge sheet that the FIR was based on the information provided by SI Imphal West Commando, Ksh Uttam that on December 20, 2011, at around 9 pm, security forces received information about the movement of some cadres of KCP Kesho Meitei faction who were allegedly involved in killing the chowkidar of Irilbung water supply, Soram Ibomcha Singh, and his son Soram Sanatomba alias Yaipu after abducting them, in the general area of Narayan Konjin village.

As such, a combined team of Imphal East and Imphal West commando conducted frisking and checking in the said area, along Chandranadi road, near Narayan Konjin Pukhri Achouba.

At around 11.30 pm, it was alleged that the combined team spotted two individuals on a moped coming towards them from the western side.

When the security personnel shouted at them to stop, the individuals fired towards the combined team and made a sharp U turn before allegedly fleeing from the scene.

The combined team pursued them but were fired upon with automatic weapons and the combined team retaliated.

The alleged encounter lasted for around 5 minutes and after the encounter a body (who was later identified as that of L Ranbir) was found along with a small arms and one Honda moped.

The charge sheet further mentioned that the report of the combined team is not believable since spent cartridges of any automatic weapons were not recovered by the police but for an encounter which lasted for some five minutes, the deceased and his associate should have fired quite a large number of bullets.

It was also submitted that it was surprising that the deceased L Ranbir left Konchak at around 9 pm (the same day of the incident) and was killed in an alleged encounter at Chandranadi Narankonjin village at around 11.50 pm, which is around 14 kilometres away from Konchak and the deceased neither had any relatives/ friends nor any work site in the said area.

On the basis of the investigation into the allegations of the first FIR of Wangoi PS, reconstruction report of the scene of crime by Central Forensic Science Laboratory team, postmortem report, FSL report, expert opinion from the doctors of AIMS and various records from the local police, various other revelations arose in connection with the incident.

It was also mentioned that Laishram Ranbir was carrying a large amount of money when he left his house in the evening which was not recovered by the IO of the case and which could be a motive for the commando team to eliminate him.

The charge sheet submitted by CBI/ SIT before the Court is the 4th charge sheet submitted in connection with alleged fake encounter/extrajudicial killings in the State against 20 police personnel.

Till date, CBI/ SIT has already submitted charge sheets against 16 accused police personnel in connection with three different alleged fake encounter cases of Imphal East and Imphal West.

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