Killing of Rishikanta:: CBI charge-sheets two including Cdo Herojit
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, May 13 2013: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), in the charge-sheet submitted to the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Imphal West, has named a commando of Manipur Police and another person as the accused in the murder case of junior sub-editor of Imphal Free Press Konsam Rishikanta.

The accused mentioned in the chargesheet are Thounaojam Herojit Singh, s/o Shyamsunder Singh of Lamdeng Awang Leikai, head constable of Imphal West Police Commando, and Rajkumar Chinglen, s/o RK Sanayaima of Yaiskul Janmasthan, proprietor of M/s Landmark Computers.

CBI has, however, requested the CJM to discharge another accused of the case identified as Chungkham Raju Singh alias Yangba as sufficient evidence could not be collected against him.

It may be mentioned that Thounaojam Herojit is also one of the accused in the alleged fake encounter case at Khwairamband Keithel in which one Chungkham Sanjit and a pregnant lady Thokchom Rabina were killed on July 23, 2009 .

(File Photos) Police inspecting the site where Rishikanta was found shot dead (L), Rishikanta during an outing

Konsam Rishikanta, s/o Budhi of Ningomthong Sairom Leirak, was found shot dead near Sangai Second Home at Langol under Lamphel Police Station on November 17, 2008 after he reportedly left home for his work place.

Following intense agitations spearheaded by All Manipur Working Journalists' Union (AMWJU), the State Government handed over the case to the CBI for investigation.

The chargesheet submitted to the CJM Imphal West mentioned that the murder case of Rishikanta was initially registered as FIR No.150(II)08 U/S 302/34 IPC&25 (I-B) Arms Act on November 17, 2008 against some unknown armed miscreants at Lamphel Police Station.

On the basis of a written complaint lodged by N Jatin Singh, Inspector, OC, Lamphel PS in pursuant to Government of Manipur, Home Department notification dated December 1, 2008 concurred by the notification dated April 9, 2009 of Government of India, further investigation of the case was transferred to CBI and accordingly, CBI, SCB, Kolkata registered case RC2(S)/2009, Kolkata U/S 302/34 IPC& 25 (I-B) Arms Act on May 4, 2009 against unknown miscreants.

Investigation has revealed that on receipt of information at 4.40 pm on November 17, 2008 that a dead body of an unidentified youth was lying near the entrance gate of 2nd Sangai Home, Games Village, Langol Housing Complex, Imphal West, OC Lamphel PS, N Jatin registered an FIR Case No.150(II) 08 U/S 302/34 IPC&25 (I-B) Arms Act.

Holkhomang Haokip, SI Lamphel PS, to whom the investigation of the case was entrusted, reached the spot at around 5.10 pm.

Two gypsies of Imphal West Commando (IW/CDO) led by SI Soumyo Shimrey were already there guarding the dead body.

It was dark and so by using head lights of the vehicles, the IO inspected the spot.

The dead body was lying by the road side, face upward and blind-folded by a small towel which was brownish in colour, wearing one blue long pant, one full sleeve shirt (grey), one white T-shirt and blue underwear.

During the inquest, IO found one injury on the chin, one on head, two at chest area on the deceased.

On turning the body upside down, two bullet injury wounds were found at the back.

On inspection of nearby area, IO found four empty cartridges of 9 mm of Burmese origin.

IO seized one black purse containing one old and soiled Rs.10 note and one identity card issued in name of K Rishikanta Singh of Ningomthong Sairom Leirak with designation staff of the Imphal Free Press.

This identity card established the identification of the deceased.

After inquest, IO took the body of the deceased to RIMS, Imphal for post mortem.

The post mortem was conducted by Dr Pradip Kumar of RIMS.

According to the post mortem report, the deceased sustained entrance wound on left side of cheek and exit wound on vertex, entrance wound on right side of chin and exit wound on right side of the Parietal region of the head, entrance wound on right side of back and exit wound on right side of front of chest.

All the injuries were sustained from distant range, beyond three feet and the cause of the death was injuries caused by firearms.

The doctor who conducted the post-mortem did not preserve the wearing apparels of the dead body as it is not in practice in Manipur (the reason given by the doctor) .

Later the case was transferred to CBI on May 4, 2009.The case was taken over by SIT on April 7, 2010.During the course of investigation, relatives, friends and neighbours of the deceased were examined.

K Sarita Devi, d/o Budhi, sister of the deceased Rishikanta, revealed that he worked at Imphal Free Press as well as at CT Offset Printing Press.

The deceased left on November 17, 2008 for collecting his salary from CT Offset Printing Press.

They got the news of his murder in the evening.

The deceased was having mobile Nokia handset model 1110i with connection no.9856969427 and the same was not recovered from his dead body at the time of the inquest.

The witnesses from nearby area of occurrence were examined.

None of them saw the incidence but some of them heard gun shots.

The investigation further revealed that the deceased was carrying mobile no.9856969427 in between 8.52 am to 12.41 pm.

There were only three outgoing calls from that number.

The last contact the deceased had with his mobile was of mobile number 9862207924 at 12.41 pm.

The mobile number 9862207924 was used by Chungkham Raju Singh alias Yangba, s/o Singhajit Singh of Kakwa Sairom Leirak.

He was taken into police custody by the CBI.

Raju revealed that he and Rishikanta were members of KYKL and functioning under Thoithoiba, the Commander of KYKL.

Raju through his mobile no.9862207924 was in close contact with the deceased on the day of murder.

According to him, KYKL placed demand of money of Rs.3-4 lakhs on M/s Landmark Computers, Imphal and Amo alias Dhanajit, s/o Sanatomba of Yaiskul Janmasthan was negotiating on behalf of the firm.

On the day of murder, Rishikanta had gone to the office of Landmark Computers for collecting the money.

Raju was to accompany him but he did not go with him.

Thoithoiba was unhappy with Raju for not accompanying the deceased to Landmark Computers office, he was apprehensive about the safety of Rishikanta.

According to Raju, Thoithoiba expressed danger from commandos and another outlawed organization like KCP.

Raju said that the mobile number he used to have contact with Thoithoiba was 9766904107 .

Thoithoiba, the commander of KYKl had been contacting him and Rishikanta through his mobile no.97166904107 and directing them regarding placing and collecting extortion demands on November 17, 2008.He had been in contact with Raju, and through Raju with Rishikanta.

Investigation further revealed that November 17, 2008, deceased Rishikanta visited Landmark Computers alone for collecting the extortion demand, placed earlier by him.

Ch Raju was in constant touch with him through mobile.

Thoithoiba was also in touch with Rishikanta through Raju.

At around 12 pm, Rishikanta entered the office of Landmark Computers.

Thoithoiba contacted Rishikanta by call conferencing through the mobile of Raju and also threatened the staff of Landmark Computers through the mobile of Rishikanta.

After threatening the staff of Landmark Computers, Thoithoiba asked Rishikanta to leave the Landmark Computers immediately.

Rishikanta remained there for some time and thereafter came out of the Lamdmark Computers.

After 12.41 pm, Raju could not establish contact with him as his mobile was found switched off.

Investigation at M/s Landmark Computers revealed that one H Vaskarremba was present at the office of Landmark Computers at around 11 am on November 17, 2008.At that time one person claiming to be a KYKL cadre came and enquired about RK Dhanajit alias Amo.

Vaskerremba informed the KYKL cadre that RK Dhanajit had not come to the office that day.

Vaskerremba contacted RK Dhanajit through mobile and he was instructed to tell the KYKL visitor to wait till the arrival of RK Dhanajit.

Then he left the office for some work.

It was only on November 18, 2008 morning that he came to know the person who visited his office claiming to be a KYKL cadre was killed by unknown assailants.

Investigation also revealed that M/S Landmark Computers had received illegal demand of Rs.4 lakh from Thoithoiba of KYKL and after negotiation M/s Landmark Computers agreed to pay Rs. 40,000 .

Furthermore, the investigation revealed that the deceased was having a mobile no.9856969427 with a handset having IMEI no.356414018170800.This handset was not recovered from the body of the deceased.

The IMEI search got conducted and found out the handset of the deceased was used by mobile connection number 9862767173 on November 22, 2008 five days after the murder.

The investigation revealed that it was used by Thounaojam Herojit.

The mobile SIM card No.9862767173 was later on recovered from the possession of a relative of Herojit.

Herojit was having one more mobile connection no.9862582403.The call details of the said mobile from 11 am to 4.30 pm indicates that the accused Th Herojit was in touch with Rk Dhanajit and accused RK Chinglen of Landmark Computers; Krishnatombi, Inspector of Imphal West Commando Unit and Jhaljit Singh, ASP, Manipur Police.

It was revealed that the accused Herojit sent a number of SMSs to ASP Jhaljit and Inspector Krishnatombi on that day.

The tower details of the mobile of the accused Th Herojit revealed his movement at around the time of the murder of Rishikanta in the area where the dead body was found.

Efforts were made to connect the empty cases and bullet heads to weapon used by Th Herojit, but the same did not match.

Thoithoiba who was in contact with Raju could not be traced.

The material collected during the investigation established that the accused RK Chinglen was not willing to pay Rs.40,000 demanded by Thoithoiba.

Chinglen then conspired with Herojit to commit the murder of Rishikanta deployed to collect the payment of Rs.40,000 from the office of Landmark Computers on November 18, 2008.In pursuance to the conspiracy, Rishikanta was overpowered by noon on November 18, 2008 and his mobile phone snatched and in the afternoon, he was murdered.

The CBI chargesheet mentioned that RK Chinglen and Th Herojit have committed the offences punishable under section 120B, 392 and 302 of IPC.

The CBI has requested the CJM Imphal West to issue necessary legal process against the accused duo to stand trial in the case.

The CBI has also requested the CJM to discharge Ch Raju of the case as sufficient evidence could not be collected against him.