One of the accused, Ponthalung Panmei aka Paul was a self style sergeant of NSCN (K), and he was already arrested four times before 1999, 2002, 2005 and 2015. The other accused, Lanchapao Bosco Gonmei was intimately connected with one Jackson of Naga National Council (NNC), Zeliangrong regions.
TFM Desk
The court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Tamenglong remanded the two accused in the abduction and brutal murder of Athuan Abonmai, into further police custody for another 10 more days till October, 15.
The two accused — Ponthanlung Panmei aka Paul (47), son of Langai Panmei of Konthoujam Maning Tribal Colony; and Lanchapou Bosco Gonmei (48), son of (L) Galkhangsingpou Gonmei of Langol Laimanai — were arrested by Imphal West commando on September 27. They were remanded into police custody for a period of nine days from September 28, till October 6 by the CJM of Tamenglong.
The duo were produced at Cheirap Court, Imphal on Wednesday amid protestors who are claiming their innocence and demanding their immediate release.
According to the order by the CJM of Tamenglong, during the intense investigation, both the accused persons admitted that they are involved in various transactions with various hill-based terrorist organisations by raising huge sums of public money through the National Food Security Act (NFSA) rice distribution sub-contract for Tamenglong district. Details of their transaction for the last six months have been sought after from various national banks.
One of the accused, Ponthalung Panmei aka Paul also admitted and cognized from the previous records, admitted that he was a self style sergeant of the proscribed National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Khaplang Fraction) having Naga Army no. 54312, receiving basic military training for three months in a training camp run by NSCN (K), in Mon District of Nagaland.
He was already arrested four times before 1999, 2002, 2005 and 2015, leading to his detention under National Security Act (NSA) on two occasions during his previous arrest made by various security forces including the Indian Army and Manipur police, spending more than two years under judicial custody in various jails.
It was also submitted that Ponthalung Panmei is a member coordinator of hill-based terrorist gangs who is working for raising funds and terrorist activities in disguised of being a NFSA rice sub-contractor, by collecting funds in percentage terms and suspected to be indulging in various other financial collections, fundraising and technical support by organising negotiation, threatening and settlement in connection with terrorist activities. It requires meticulous investigation to bring to book for further connections with the heinous crime of murdering Athuan Abonmai in a daring act during chief minister of Manipur’s visit at Tamenglong Headquarters, which has resulted into unprecedented law and order problem for the state government and disturbing in the state’s peace and integrity between various community.
The assistant public prosecutor submitted that the second accused, Lanchapao Bosco Gonmei, is also equally responsible for raising funds for terrorist activities specially for the hill-based proscribed underground organisation, which is committing intermittent crime of heinous nature, leading to the frequent disturbance of normalcy of the state, specially in hill districts.
It was also submitted that he was intimately connected with one Jackson of Naga National Council (NNC), Zeliangrong regions, in which he delivered a sum of RS 70,000 on one occasion, which he admitted, as a part of percentage collection from NFSA rice distribution for Tamenglong district which is meant for poor people. He also indulged in deduction of percentage at the tune of 81 quintal of rice for the proscribed underground organizations every year meant for NSCN (K), NSCN (I-M), NNC & ZUF, Zeliangrong region.
“It may be presumed that the funds they raised for the above underground organizations lead to the purchasing of arms & ammunition, running of logistic & operational commands of the above mentioned armed terrorists organizations, leading to the committing of various crimes such as recently occurred heinous murder of a community leader viz. (L) Athuan Abonmei of Pallong Village of Tamenglong district”.
It was further submitted that the investigating officer (IO) in cooperation with the various security and investigating agencies are trying their best to collect more evidences and information by collecting call detail records and subscriber detail reports from various authorities, in respect of the accused persons and the two mobile numbers used by the (L) Athuan Abonmai before his murder, to prove their terrorists activities and possible connection in the murder of Athuan Abonmei.
The IO also extracted details of bank accounts used in their transactions during the raising of funds for the terrorist gangs. Accounts of two individuals — self-styled finance section commander of NSCN (I-M) Mathew Abonmei and Dikailung Gonmel of NNC, which the police said are “actual terrorists”, their handlers who may be the masterminds behind the killing of Athuan Abonmai.
“It is also evident that the one alleged NSCN (I-M) Finance Section Commander viz., Mathew Abonmei, who has been collecting shares of percentage from the accused persons from their NFSA rice distribution contract work has been in collusion to the commission of the crime on 22.9.2021 by cold blooded murder of (L) Athuan Abonmei”.
The CJM noted that “due to the heinous crime they committed by the terrorists gangs in the evening of 22 September by abduction & subsequently gruesome murder of a community leader like Athuan Abonimel, the sentiments of public specially peace & integrity loving people of Manipur in general, has been seriously hurt, which may have a long implications for the society & community leaders to enjoy their democratic rights, it is highly necessitate for further investigation of both the accused persons in the police custody for few more days, so that their actual terroristic activities may unearth more, will be in the interest of justice for all including deceased Athuan Abonmei, his family, public of the State of Manipur & the Nation by bringing them to book”.
During the course of preliminary Investigating, it was found that the owner of the Maruti Gypsy bearing registration No. NL. 07 C 5873, used by the abductors who later murdered Athuan Abonmei, and recovered by police from the spot of the crime at Palong Village of Tamenglong District, is one Rayilung Nasaranglia, of Dhobi Nalla, Dimapur, Nagaland. He is a self-styled colonel of NSCN (I-M) which is currently undergoing a ceasefire with the Union government. This itself is a precursor to the commission of the murder directed by the NSCN (I-M), it added.
The IO of the case also submitted that there are certain substantive development in the investigation process and it is possible that the accused were connected in the mobilisation of logistics, etc in the killing of Athuanmai Abonmai in association with terrorist organisations/notorious town commander Tamenglong of a terrorist organisation
The APP further submitted that the case is likely to be handed over to National Investigative Agency (NIA) and thus the same is to be dealt with by the Special Court (NIA). In this regard, APP apprised this court about the news report of handing over of the present FIR case to NIA by the Union government.
The counsel for the accused persons submitted that no incriminating articles were recovered from the possession of both the accused or at their instances and they were arrested for offences they have never committed. It is also submitted that the accused persons are quite innocent of the offences charged against them.
On behalf of the accused Ponthanlung Panmei aka Paul, it was submitted that he is the only earning member in his family which consists of his young wife, a minor daughter who is now reading in class V.
On behalf of the accused Lanchapour Bosco Gonmei, it is submitted that he is the only earning member in his family which consists of his young wife, two minor daughters who are reading in Class VIII and KG and one minor son of 2 yrs old. As such, the counsel for the accused persons prays for rejecting the further police remand prayer of the IO, and grants them bail.
The APP prayed that the further detention in police custody for another ten days was very much necessary “for unearthing the possible connections of the accused persons to the unlawful organisations which allegedly committed the heinous offence of the brutal murder of Athuan Abonmai”.
“(L) Athuan Abonmai, was a former president & current Advisor of Zeliangrong Baudi, an organization of Zemei, Liangmei & Rongmei tribes mostly inhabitants of Tamenglong & adjoining areas of Manipur. The same organization, Zeliangrong Baudi (ZB) was disbanded by the NSCN (I-M) in the year 2019. Subsequently. (L) Athuanmai Abonmel had been a strong critic of NSCN (I-M)’s policies & staunch supporter of unity & integrity of the State of Manipur with frequent delivering statements through print, electronic & social media. This led to the staunch enmity between the NSCN (I-M) & (L) Athuan Abonmai,” it added.