CSOs and Meira Paibi organisations continue to press for appeal to a higher court and re-investigation into the multi-crore drug haul case involving former Chandel ADC chairman Lhukhosei Zou.
TFM Desk
“The time has come for all of us to launch a crusade against menace of drugs to save the future generations. It’s not the time to remain mute spectators!”
The remark was made by CADA Imphal East District Committee secretary organisation Nongthombam (O) Medha during a sit-in protest held at Wakha Community Hall on Saturday against the acquittal of former Chandel ADC chairman Lhukhosei Zou by an ND&PS court in connection to the 2018 multi-crore drug haul case. The sit-in was jointly organised by Wakha Nupi Samaj Association, Wakha Youth Club and Coalition Against Drugs and Alcohol (CADA), a release said.
Medha further said that the people do not accept the fact Lhukhoshei Zou has been acquitted for lack of evidence after a huge amount of drugs were seized from his official quarter. The government should appeal to a higher court and re-investigate the case in order to punish drug smugglers according to the law, she demanded.
Speaking about the issue, CADA vice-president Ningthoujam Doren reiterated that there might be an intense agitation by the people, unprompted, if the Manipur government remained unfazed by the democratic protests demanding an appeal to a higher court and re-investigation in the case.
Doren further said that the acquittal of Lhukhosei Zou is a major defeat for the government and it should be ashamed of it. The people have been apprehensive that there was collusion since the beginning of the Investigating of the case because of incidents such as loss of drug samples and attempt to manipulate the chargesheet, he added.
Slogans like “Punish Drug Smugglers”, “Eradicate Drugs completely from the state”, “Don’t make War on Drugs a joke”, amongst others were also shouted at the end of the protests, it added.