From The Streets, To Class Boycott, To The Media And CBI,
23/7 Case Now At Court's Door Bail relief for 9 cops named by CBI in charge sheets
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, September 27 2010: It crippled the State for months on end, but at last the battle fought on the streets of Imphal, the closure of schools for nearly four months, the media highlighting the issue and piling on the pressure on the Chief Minister and the State Police Department, especially the damning series of photographs published in Tehelka and reproduced in the local media here and the CBI roped in to investigate the case, the July 23 BT Road incident of 2009, in which a young, pregnant woman, Th Rabina was shot dead, while another youth Sanjit was killed under contrasting claims, has now reached the door of the Court, with the CBI naming nine policemen in its charge sheets.

Three of the nine accused cops appearing before the Court of the CJM, Monday

As per an order issued by the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Imphal today, the trial of the nine police personnel against whom the CBI had filed chargesheets in connection with the July 23 Khwairamband Bazar incident of 2009 in which Rabina, a pregnant woman and Sanjit, a former UG cadre, were killed and five other persons sustained injuries in police firing, would be conducted by the District and Sessions Judge, Manipur East.

The nine chargesheeted police personnel namely OC of City Police Inspector Munal, Commando Inspector H Debendra, Head Constable Th Herojit, Rifleman Ngangom Toyaima, Constable W Binoykumar, Havildar Th Jagat, Rifleman Md Imran Khan, Head Constable Oinam Keshor and Constable Makan Kanchung Chothe voluntarily appeared before the Court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Imphal today.

When the CBI submitted the chargesheet on September 9, the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Imphal was on holiday.

So, a Magistrate on duty issued the warrant of arrest of the nine chargesheeted police personnel.

However, all the nine accused police personnel surrendered before the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Imphal on September 25 and filed their respective bail applications.

After hearing the bail applications today, the Court not only granted bail but also revoked the arrest warrant issued against them since the case is now at the trial level.

Accordingly, OC Inspector Munal signed a PR bond for Rs 20,000 while for the other accused police personnel the PR bond was Rs 50,000 .

Consequent to the chargesheet submitted by CBI, the Court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Imphal Judge BK Sharma, has also referred the case for trial to the District and Session Judge, Manipur East.

Moreover, the Court has directed all the nine accused police personnel to appear before the Court of District and Session Judge, Manipur East tomorrow and to be in station, without the permission of the trial Court.

In the chargesheet framed by the CBI, CO of City Police Inspector Y Munal has been charged with destroying the evidences of the case under section 34 of IPC read together with section 218 while the other accused police personnel charged with murder under section 302 of IPC.

In the hearing of the case today, Advocate S Lakhikanta appeared on behalf of the accused police personnel while Senior Public Prosecutor AK Singh appeared on behalf of the CBI.

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