Imphal, December 28 2009: The State Government has given its approval to conduct the hearing of the case related to the abduction and subsequent brutal murder of the then Kasom Khullen SDO Dr Thingnam Kishan and his two sub-ordinate staff by armed cadres of NSCN (I-M) at a Court in Delhi following an application from the CBI to the Supreme Court.

According to a highly placed source, after submitting the chargesheet to the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Ukhrul on September 31 last, CBI, which is investigating the case approached the Supreme Court with the request for shifting the venue of hearing of the case to a court in the National capital.

The investigating agency felt that conducting the hearing of the case at a New Delhi court would be more suitable in the light of the report earlier submitted to it by the State Police Department expressing apprehension over possible social unrest if the main accused Lt Col Hopeson Ningshen of the NSCN (I-M) is brought to Imphal.

The main accused is currently lodged in Tihar Jail.

Following the application of the CBI, the Supreme Court had sought the opinion of the State Government, which in turn furnished its affidavit to the apex Court giving its approval to the conduct of the hearing at a Court in New Delhi.

It may be recalled that CJM Ukhrul had directed the CBI to produce the main accused Lt Col Hopeson Ningshen before its Court on January 15 next year.

However, as the hearing of the case could not be conducted in the Court of the CJM, there is also another directive that the hearing should be conducted in a Sessions Court.

Dr Kishan and his two sub-ordinate staff namely driver Aribam Rajen and Revenue Mandal Yumnam Token were abducted by armed cadres of NSCN (I-M) from near Hundung Naga Gate in Ukhrul district on February 13 last but were found brutally murdered in the morning of February 17 at Taphou Kuki village in Senapati district.

All these facts have also been clearly highlighted in the charge-sheet framed by the CBI.

The crime was committed by Hopeson Ningshen and three other armed cadres of the outfit.

However, the co-accused, namely RI Yuhor alias Abo Sibo of Tuinem, SK Themhorshang alias Themshang alias Ashang of Apong and Jenny are still absconding.

During the course of investigating the case, CBI had recorded the statements of 68 witnesses including that of Pankaj Kumar Pal, who was the Deputy Commissioner of Ukhrul when the incident took place, but has been subsequently placed under suspension.

Acting on the complaint filed by father of late Dr Kishan in the court of CJM Ukhrul for taking up a case against Pankaj Kumar Pal, Police are currently investigating into the case.

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