Day: September 8, 2014

IMPHAL, September 8: Two scribes deposed before the court for cross examination regarding the Khwairamband Keithel fake encounter case which occurred in 2009. Post the CBI submitting a charge sheet to the concerned court regarding the case which involved the death of two civilians namely Chungkham Sanjit and Thokchom Rabina, the two prosecution witnesses namely Ningombam Noren and Shamurailatpam Gautam gave their statements.

The proceedings were held at Cheirap Court, Uripok before the District and Sessions judge, Manipur East, A Guneshwar Sharma this afternoon. According to statement of witness number 59, Noren Ningombam, he was then working with the Sangai Express in the capacity of sub-editor and is presently the bureau chief of Impact TV. On July 23, 2009, he heard the news from a female reporter colleague just as he arrived at his office. They both went to the spot to take stock of the situation in a two-wheeler. Then as they reached the over-bridge area, they came across the bullet riddled body of a woman and an infant being taken care of by another woman.

Later, they heard that a person was shot dead inside Maimu Pharmacy and on arriving at the spot, they saw the dead body of a person being taken out to a vehicle for being transported to the morgue. They shot photos and took the report. When the counsel asked S Noren (38) whether he went inside Maimu pharmacy to take photos, the latter replied that he did not do so and the photos appearing at Tehelka magazine was not his photos.

The next prosecution witness number 60, Shamurailatpam Gautam Sharma (33), in his statement mentioned similarly that he heard the news of the shooting at the bazar area from a reporter of another paper. He was working as a reporter of Poknafam and is presently the executive editor of the said media house. He came towards BT road from Paona Bazar and heard sounds of gunfire; he stopped near the MPP office at Pologround as pedestrians were running helter-skelter. He arrived at BT road later and saw the lifeless body of a woman and a man being loaded on a vehicle. He took his report and took photos but the ones appearing in Tehelka magazine was not related to him, he maintained.

The witnesses were not allowed to listen to one another’s testimony by the state counsel and one had to wait outside the court room while another witness was deposing. It may be mentioned that the incident left two persons dead and caused injury to five persons. The case has been registered twice at City Police Station but was handed over to the CBI on January 16, 2010. In the cross examination held today, the accused police personnel were also present at the Court.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/09/scribes-testify-in-khwairamband-keithel-fake-encounter-case/

Inquiry finds fund misappropriation and violation of service rules by director

IMPHAL, September 8: Incumbent director of the Institute of Co-operative Management,(ICM) Imphal, Dr Kh Somorendro has been found misappropriating funds according to an inquiry conducted by the National Council for Cooperative Training (NCCT).

The inquiry report maintains that Somorendro has failed to ensure timely depositing of fees collected in respect of of BBA,PGDCA and PGDBM programs for the academic year 2012-13, an amount to the tune of Rs 6,75,200. This is in violation of the Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules.

During his tenure, the director has also employed casual contractual staff in defiance of the directions of the Council. He was also involved in purchasing 40 gift items amounting to Rs. 18,000 without inviting quotations and also for a camera worth Rs 35,438 from New Delhi without consulting the purchase committee, the inquiry officer points that such actions lacks integrity and is conduct unbecoming of a government servant.

Somorendro was also accused for utilizing two type IV quarters as store rooms and depriving two faculty members of living in the campus and also resulting in loss of revenue to the institute.

According to an official information to the Union minister of Agriculture, New Delhi by the chairman of ICM, Lamphelpat L Tompishak Singh on June 6 last, the charges made against the director has been proved as according to the inquiry being completed on December 2013.

The NCCT has also issued order to withhold two increments to Somorendro for a period of three years as a punitive measure. The chairman also charged the director of arbitrary encashing Rs 14 lakhs under cheque number 587723 dated 30/4/2012 from United Bank of India, Lamphelpat branch from PG account for purchasing desk top computers during the period of 1/04/2012 to 31/12/2012 and which is not permissible under the financial rules.

The director has a power to encash only Rs. 10,000 in a day. The chairman appealed the minister and transfer Somorendro from ICM, Imphal in public interest.

Later, in a notification by the NCCT deputy director Ashvini Sharma on July 21 last to the ICM management committee, Dr Somorendro has been ordered for posting as an associate professor at VAMNICOM, Pune with immediate effect.

It also mentioned that the directorship is to be handed to Joychandra Singh. Despite the orders, Somoendro has not relinquished his post and had further applied for extension of his service. The said application was replied by the same deputy director Ashvini Sharma, that his letter dated 22/07/2014 was not acceded to and to comply with the transfer.

Somorendro had taken leave from office for some time and did not heed the transfer re-notification. This was reflected in another letter by Ashvini Sharma on 31/07/2014 that his permission to leave headquarter and sanction for leave are different issues. It mentioned that the director is trying to twist the cases and playing tactics to consume time in delaying to join his new posting place.

There also has been subsequent letters to the director general of NCCT from the ICM chairman, Tompishak to relieve Somorendro of his directorship post and to his posting at Pune.

The Manipuri Students Federation (MSF) in a letter to the Agriculture minister also mentioned that Somorendro has been at ICM for 22 years and enjoys immense powers. He has flouted the transfer orders by taking casual leave and to avoid joining his new post. The MSF alleged that the delay is done with collusion with higher authorities of the NCCT, in particular the executive head with whom Somorendro has a close nexus.

It mentions the reason cited by Somorendro to the higher authorities for extension of his directorship is that his daughter’s exam falls on August 30, 2014. The Little Flower School exam schedule concluded on August 9,2014.

The IFP in adherence to the ethics of media also approached the director for his clarification. He had assured that all necessary clarification will be available on Sunday last with proper documents. Till the filing of this report, there has not been any hard-copy documents made available.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/09/icm-director-defies-transfer-notice-citing-daughters-exam/

IMPHAL, Sept 8: The International Guild of Battlefield Guide has recently recognised Manipur as an International War Tourism Destination. The recognition was declared along with the conferment of its membership to Rajeshwar Yumnam and Arambam Angamba, co-founders of 2nd World War Imphal Campaign Foundation, Imphal.

According to an official source of the foundation, the recognition and the conferment of the membership to the duo is in recognition of the research and activities carried out by the foundation pertaining to the battles of the 2nd World War fought in Manipur, also collectively known as the Battle of Imphal.

The Battle of Imphal has been acknowledged as Britain’s Greatest Battle by the National Army Museum, UK.

Rajeshwar and Angamba are the first Asians to be taken in as official guides of the International Guild. The Guild, which is also the official tour partner of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), was established to analyse, develop and raise awareness and practice of battlefield guiding.

It may be mentioned that the Imphal Campaign Foundation, a non-profit organisation based in Imphal, has been undertaking research and excavation works at various battlefield sites of the World War II. The Foundation has been running a museum – Imphal War Museum, showcasing the relics and artifacts excavated from the battlefield sites.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/09/manipur-gets-intl-war-tourism-destination-tag/

IMPHAL, September 8: There was uproar this evening inside the Nongmeibung office of the Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System after a police team arrested 12 members including four women of the committee.

The police team was led by additional SP Imphal West Victoria Yengkhom.

The 12 were arrested following an alleged assault of the owner of ‘Tashi Interiors’ Debson Yengkhom, 36, son of Yengkhom Puskar by the JCILPS student wing members after calling him for a meeting.

Debson was called at the office of the JCILPS following a reported argument yesterday when members of the student wing had gone to his office to check for “illegal non-locals.”

According to the JCILPS women wing convenor Lourembam Nganbi, the committee was discussing the Chief Minister’s invite for talks on the ILPS demand today, when the addl SP barged into the office and called out the executive members.

It may be mentioned that earlier in the day, Tashi interiors CEO Debson had come to the office for the meeting, which however turned into an ugly tussle with the members of the student wing assaulting him, sources said.

Debson who is elder brother of the additional SP called her after the incident, the source continued.

Soon on reaching the spot, Victoria found bruise marks on her brother and informed the Porompat PS.

The police detained eight members of the student wing, four of the women wing and other members of the JCILPS and took them for questioning.

Meanwhile, after the police team left, the JCILPS women wing called a press conference and lamented the police action.

Convenor L Nganbi said following the police action, the committee has decided to withhold the invite for a meeting on the ILPS demand with the Chief Minister until the additional SP is suspended and she apologises before the committee.

She further threatened of strong agitations unless the demand is met with.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/09/uproar-in-jcilps-office-over-assault-of-tashi-interiors-owner/

By Alex Guite
LAMKA, Sept 7: Mata Mualtam Village, which is just 6 Km from the district head quarter of Churachandpur, has been reeling under darkness for the last eight years as there is no electric power in the village.

Mannu, a villager speaking to IFP said the village had to be shifted to a higher ground, as the previous location of the village was submerged by water with the commissioning of Khuga Dam in 2006.

She lamented that with the completion of the Dam, it has not serve any purpose to the villagers of Mata. Before the election so many people came and had promised the villagers that electric power will be restored in the village, she continued.

Another woman from the same village said that children have to study with candles. With PDS not functioning properly in the area, Kerosene is sold at Rs 70 to 80 per Liter at the black market, she added.

A woman, on the condition of anonymity said that Rs 500 per household were deducted from the MNREGS wage for buying electric transformer, but it has not materialised till today. She alleged that many villages’ chiefs have been deducting money from the MNREGS wage as ‘electric fee’, which is against the norms of MNREGS, adding that when they went to check at the electricity office, there was no record of money being deposited.

It may be mentioned that a wind turbine was installed in the Mata Village to generate electric power after the village was dislocated by the Khuga project. But the turbine at present has been found to be dysfunctional.

One elder from the village told IFP that they have no idea when the village will see electricity. “It is like living in the dark ages”, she said.

It may also be mentioned that Geljang, Ngoiphai, Phaibem, Zoutuinuam, Lamjang, Lunmual, Kullian, S Phaiza, Hiangdung, Panglian, Geltui, S Munhoih and S Zezaw etc are some of the villages that are deprived of electricity after the commissioning of Khuga Dam.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/09/khuga-displaced-village-yet-to-see-electric-light-after-eight-years-of-re-location/