Our Correspondent
Imphal | January 27
The claim by Manipur Police cop Th Herojit Singh that he killed a suspected PLA cadre Sanjit Meitei on the orders of the then Additional Superintendent of Police Dr AK Jhalajit in a fake encounter in Imphal in 2009 has taken a new turn.
Now Superintendent of Police, Imphal West Police, Dr AK Jhalajit Singh today denied allegations that he ordered police head constable Th Herojit Singh to ‘finish off’ 27-year-old Chungkham Sanjit Meitei.
According to reports which were published in both national and local media, Herojit had confessed that he killed Sanjit in a fake encounter on Dr Jhalajit’s orders.
Dr Jhalajit in a press clarification said the case was investigated thoroughly by Central agency CBI and trial of the case is now going on in the court of Sessions Judge, Imphal West. “The matter being subjudice, I will not make further statement.”
An FIR was registered against some personnel of Manipur Police Commando on January 16, 2010 in connection with the killing of Sanjit Meitei after the Gauhati High Court, Imphal Branch passed an order on August 25, 2009 to treat the writ petition filed by Ch Taratombi Devi over the killing of her son.
The CBI registered a case in this connection in February 2010.
The CBI report said, a witness, Taratombi in her complaint alleged that her son was apprehended by personnel of Manipur Police Commando from BT Road at 10.45 am on July 23, 2009 and taken to Maimu Pharmacy and was shot dead by pumping several bullets, and thus the Manipur Police Commando murdered her son arbitrarily.
The Tehelka magazine captured and published the shootout that happened in the heart of Imphal, that show the moments before, during and after the ‘encounter killing’ of Sanjit Meitei. The photos captured by the magazine showed Sanjit being surrendered himself to the police commandos before he was killed.
Centre promises to look into alleged fake encounter
NEW DELHI, January 27 (PTI): The Centre today promised to look into the purported confession of a Manipur police commando that he had killed in cold blood an unarmed suspected insurgent in 2009 in an alleged fake encounter that had sparked widespread outrage in the northeast state.
"I will get the information and then I can comment...Then we will look into it," Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, who is on a visit to Kerala, said in Thiruvananthapuram. Manipur police head constable Thounaojam Herojit Singh had reportedly confessed that he shot 22-year-old Chungkham Sanjit Meitei, a suspected member of the insurgent group People’s Liberation Army (PLA), in a busy market area in Imphal on July 23, 2009.
Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said the Centre has taken "cognisance" of the said reports on the purported confession.
"I was little disturbed to see this news and confession which has been reported. We have taken cognisance of this revelation and necessary steps will be taken," Rijiju said.
