Imphal, February 20: United Committee Manipur (UCM) has today stated that the State Government cann to afford to relax and stay contented over the Lungnila Elizabeth murder case even if the matter has been handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

UCM has also appealed to the NSCN (I-M) to hand over the main accused James Kuki to the CBI and facilitate in the investigation work.

Talking to mediapersons at the UCM office today, its president S Jadumani said that the State Government should continue with its investigation and keep the people updated on the findings and progress of the case from time to time.

It would also be in the interest of all that James Kuki, the kingpin behind the murder of the girl child, who is still in the custody NSCN (I-M), be handed over to the CBI and the details of the confession made by James Kuki be disclosed to the people publicly.

Such a step can go a long way in helping the CBI to solve the case, Jadumani noted.

He further pointed out that keeping all the accused persons in separate custody would not be able to bring out the truth and it would be possible only when all of them are in the custody of the investigating agency.

Lambasting the Government for its alleged ineptness, the UCM president maintained that the case could have been solved along ago if the Government and its machineries were sincere in cracking the case.

Even before the arrest of Rome by UNLF, UCM and some other organizations had urged the Government and some top police officials to arrest James Kuki, but they did not pay any attention to it, he rued.

UCM spokesperson Y Joykumar expressed serious apprehension whether the State Government is trying to cover up the case, and questioned why the SPF Government is maintaining a stoic silence over the case now.