The darker issues of fake encounter cases in Manipur have taken yet another twist in poll-bound Manipur. With the Central bureau of Investigation (CBI) reopening the case of ‘extra-judicial killing” which involved the killing of a reformed militant Chungkham Sanjit Meetei and a pregnant woman Rabina Devi, many underlying truths are being dug out.
Making a revelation, Sanjit’s father Ch Kheilen said that a Congress party patron offered him Rs 20 lakh as bribe to withdraw the case. The allegation adds fuel to the case as CBI recently reopened the case following an appeal made by Sanjit’s mother Taratombi Devi.
Ch Kheilen added that “a Congress patron named Keneddy, who lives in my locality, offered Rs 20 lakh and asked me to use the money for constructing my house and to keep me quiet about the incident.”
“He also said that if Thaunaojam Herojit (the constable who killed Rabina and Sanjit) has the courage to go against his senior Akhoijam Jhalajit Singh who is the additional SP (Imphal West), I being Sanjit’s father thought that I should reveal the truth in front of all,” he said.
In July 2009, Sanjit and Rabina were killed in an encounter by police commandos in a crowded street of Imphal. Police constable Herojit, who shot Sanjit dead, had earlier declared that he had only implemented the order given by his senior additional SP of Imphal west Akoijam Jhalajit Singh.
On Thursday, Jhalajit, who has been accused of ordering the killing, got an interim anticipatory bail from the district and sessions court till March 2. He is currently serving as the commandant of the second battalion of India Reserve Battalion (IRB).
Meanwhile, the BJP has been speaking out against all 1,528 odd cases of extra-judicial killings, most of which took place during 15 years of Congress regime under Okram.
Even Irom Sharmila Chanu, who is leading a silent crusade against the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) by fasting for 16 years, is contesting the 2017 polls against Manipur Chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh.
The fake encounters and the misuse of the draconian AFSPA are some of the key issues for which the people of Manipur have been remonstrating from a prolonged decade.
