A minor boy has been made the accused number one who is also allegedly a member of an unlawful organization KNF (N). While in police custody, the accused who is a minor had been subjected to “third-degree method” and “extracted confessional statements”, said the petition.
TFM Desk
The High Court of Manipur has admitted the letter petition filed by Henkhokai Singsit in connection with the detention of a minor accused in the B-Gamnom Village incident of killing three civilians, including a child in a shootout on October 12. The letter petition was converted into a writ petition (criminal) by the high court.
In the letter, the petitioner said that the minor from Kangpokpi district was arrested by a team of Commando Imphal West and Assam Rifles during a random frisking conducted in and around New Keithelmanbi and Moidangpok near Korouhanba Oil Pump on October 24. Later, two more accused were arrested the next day.
According to the petition, the minor boy has been made the accused number one who is also allegedly a member of an unlawful organization KNF (N). While in police custody, the accused who is a minor had been subjected to “third degree method” and “extracted confessional statements”, said the petition.
The police authority had not considered “his juvenility” during the process of investigation and no physical production was made before the concerned court as such remand for custodial interrogation has been allowed by the court on October 25, argued the petition.
The petitioner also alleged that “there is total failure of communication from the concerned Police Station on his whereabouts could not be ascertained but later on it is learnt that he is in the Lock-up of Porompat Police Station”.
During the course of investigation, the police has confirmed that the “detenue is a drug dependent” and putting him in the lock-up “goes against his mental and physical health”. His family members were not allowed to communicate through their “Thadou Kuki dialect/language” while he was in Patsoi Police Station, alleged the petition.
The petitioner further argued that the minor “never committed such heinous crime as alleged by the police” in connection with B-Gamnom Village killing.
It may be mentioned that Kangpokpi Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) also had on November 7 served an ultimatum on the government of Manipur to release the three accused arrested in connection with B. Gamnom killing as the family members have claimed their innocence. The CSOs had also cautioned the state government that if the three were not released, they would launch various forms of intense agitations.
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