IMPHAL, September 11: A division bench of the High Court of Manipur comprising of Chief Justice Laxmi Kanta Mohapatra and Justice Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh awarded Rs. 10,00,000 each as compensation to the two petitioners, said a press release by Human Rights Law Network (HRLN).
According to the press release, the compensation was awarded in a glaring revelation of justice against the rampant fake encounter by the security forces in Manipur, arising out of two separate incidents.
It said, according to the case dossier of the first case, on December 28, 2008 Thiyam Amit Meitei left his house with his friend Moirangthem Inaobi Meitei in a Yamaha Motorcycle carrying a sum of Rs. 10,500 to make payment for the timbers purchased by his father to the chief of the village at Tshomyang village.
However, they were intercepted by a team of 23 Assan Rifles and were taken to AR camp at Yaingangpokpi and they were separated after being tortured and Thiyam Amit Meitei was killed in a fake encounter and the dead body was found with few arms and ammunitions along with a demand letter of KCP (MC) and thereafter false report was lodged with Lamlai Police Station and created a fake story, it said.
On the other hand his friend Moirangthem Inaobi Meitei was released, said the press release.
It said that the mother of the deceased filed a Writ Petition before High Court in 2009 and considering the dispute, the court District Judge ordered for an enquiry on July 6, 2010, to ascertain the facts leading to the death.
An inquiry was conducted by the learned District Judge, Manipur East, who submitted his report before the court on July 27, 2012 and eventually concluded that Thiyam Amit Meitei was killed and a sum of Rs 5,00,000 was awarded as compensation under public law domain, it said.
Further according to the release int he second case, a person identified as Soubam Baocha alias Shachuinta never returned home after he left to purchase iron bars for his house construction as he was killed by the personnel of Manipur Police commando and 23 Assam Rifles on December 28, 2008 at the foot hill of Huimei Ching, Imphal East district and the family members found the dead bodies of Soubam Baocha and his friend Salam Gurung at RIMS, Lamphelpat, the next day.
It said, after the killing, a false report was lodged with Lamlai Police Station stating of an ambush in and around Leimakhong Mapal and created a fake story out of it of cross firing on December 28, 2008.
The press release has stated that the mother of the deceased, Soubam Radhe Devi filed a Writ Petition before the High Court questioning the unjustified action of the security forces and consequently, the High Court ascertained the facts leading to the killing after conducting an enquiry through the learned District Judge, Manipur East and accordingly, a sum of Rs. 5,00,000 was awarded as compensation by the High Court of Manipur to the mother of the deceased.
In both the cases, Meihoubam Rakesh, Advocate appeared on behalf of the petitioners and Amarjit Naorem, Central Government Standing Counsel and RS Reisang, Senior Government Advocate appeared on behalf of Union of India and the present Writ Petitions was filed with the active initiation of the HRLN, Manipur, said the press release.
Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2014/09/hc-awards-compensations-in-fake-encounter-cases/