Manipur News

IMPHAL, April 16: The Joint Action Committee formed in connection with the alleged killing of Th Kelvin Singh has demanded that the culprits involved in the crime should be identified and punished at the earliest and that the FIR No registered in connection with the case and post mortem reports of the dead teen should be handed over to them.

Listing their demands, the JAC this afternoon submitted a memorandum signed by JAC president S Boro to the State Chief Minister.

It said the charge-sheet against all those involved should be framed at the earliest and that the government should helped all those injured during a protest demonstration against the incident.

It may be mentioned that the partly decomposed body of 16-year-old Thangjam Kelvin of Ukhongsang Mamang Leikai under Nongpok Sekmai Police Station was recovered on April 14 around noon from near the Ngariyan Catholic Teachers`™ Training College under Andro Police Station, Imphal East after he had gone missing since March 29.

On the day that he had gone missing he had left with a friend on his motorbike which is yet to be recovered.

The memorandum submitted to the Chief Minister also warned that in case the authorities refused to take measures to fulfil the demands, the JAC will resort to its own course of action. It also appealed to the State government to immediately constitute a probe against the alleged killing of Th Kelvin.

One of the JAC members informed media persons that the JAC members along with the family came from Ukhongshang to submit the memorandum to the Chief Minister but were stopped on their way by the Canchipur police.

The police took a few representatives and allowed them to hand over the memorandum to the Chief Minister, he said.

A copy of memorandum was also submitted to the SP Thoubal, SDPO Thoubal and DC Thoubal.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/04/jac-demands-swift-action-in-teenagers-murder-case/

IMPHAL, April 16: Speaker of the Manipur Legislative Assembly, Th Lokeshwar who was charged with impersonation has failed to appear in Court today.

Instead, a counter case has been filed by the Speaker himself to the Sessions judge, Manipur East on April 15.

The Speaker was charged that his name was used as Oinam Lokeshwar and not as Thokchom Lokeshwar while persuing higher studies at Manipur University.

But, in his affidavit submitted to the Election Commission of India, he came under the title of Thokchom, thus creating the confusion and present legal scenario.

According to Criminal Revision case number 4 of 2015,under section 397 writ with S.399 of the CrPC the complainant Namoijam Shinghajit Singh is a defeated candidate of the last assembly election and the case was not filed by a public authority.

Further, the affidavit of the Speaker was sworn in on January 11, 2012 and the complaint was filed on March 30, 2015 and as such is being barred by limitation.

Citing many references, it was prayed that the revision petition of Lokeshwar be admitted and the earlier order against him be set aside as the complaint is filed by an unauthorized person and barred by limitation.

In this regard, the order of the Sessions judge ,Manpur East stayed the order of the earlier order(Cril. Case no.35 of 2015) passed against Lokeshwar by the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Imphal East on March 30 last has been stayed and further proceedings have been fixed on 29/4/2015.

It may be mentioned that the earlier petitioner namely N Singhajit had disclosed the case of impersonation to the media on April 3 last at Manipur Press Club.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/04/speaker-fails-court-appearance-in-impersonation-charge-files-counter-case/

IMPHAL, April 16: The president of the All Manipur Bar Association, AMBA, Khaidem Mani, in a statement today made in response to the IFP news of April 14 `Bar association cries foul at CM`™s alleged recommended of a junior officer for HC Judgeship` denied his organisation ever made the statement.

`At the outset as President of All Manipur Bar Association, AMBA, I have no knowledge about the alleged `AMBA memo`™ as quoted` by the newpaper, the press statement said.

It also said there was also no `such resolution of the Bar to submit or send such letter/memorandum on the subject concerned to any authority.`

In a telephonic conversation with IFP, Kaidem Mani, who is currently out of station, said he suspects impersonation and forgery of his office stationary and seal by certain interested parties. `Since January, there have been four executive meetings and no decision remotely close to what is alleged, has ever been taken,` Mani further said.

Furthermore, many information contained in the alleged `memo`™ is unwarranted and misleading, the press statement said. As for instance the High Court of Manipur was inaugurated not in the month of December, 2011 as alleged but on March 23, 2013.

`As a matter of practice the AMBA till date has never questioned nor interfered in the wisdom and decision of the Hon`™ble Judges of the High Court in the affairs of posting and selection of their officers,` Mani`™s statement said.

The advocate also clarified on phone that the procedure of appointing judge is initiated not by the Chief Minister, but by the High Court. `Normally, three HC judges first have to recommend the appointment of a person and seek the approval of the Chief Minister and the Governor, and not the other way around,` he said.

He also said Judgeship does not follow any time scale promotion scheme, and appointments are made strictly on merit, though seniority is given some consideration.

`This culture of crab in the bucket mentality in the legal profession whereby colleagues are too eager to pull down the brightest amongst them to their own levels is very unfortunate,` Mani said.

Highlighting a point of law, he said as per Article 217 (2) (a) of the Constitution of India `A person shall not be qualified for appointment as a judge of a High Court unless he is citizen of India and has for at least ten years held a judicial office in the territory of India.`

This being the case, `any judicial officer who has held judicial office at any level for at least 10 years is eligible to be considered for judgeship of the High Court`™` Mani further said.

Seniority therefore is not the top priority in the appointment of a judge at all. Instead qualities given a premium in such appointments are suitability, integrity, reputation and temperament, etc, the senior advocate said.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/04/amba-suspects-impersonation-and-forgery-in-alleged-memo-on-hc-judge-appointment-amba-president/

IMPHAL, April 16: Social Welfare minister Ak Mirabai and director Rangitabali Waikhom should be held responsible for the April 15 death of an old age pensioner at the 1st Manipur Rifles grounds while waiting in queue for her pension amount of Rs 4800, demanded the Janata Dal United today.

Addressing a press meet at the party`™s Babupara office, the party`™s State president M Tombi said such an unfortunate incident should not be repeated again.

The concerned Social Welfare department to come up with alternative means for distribution of the old age pension, he said while hinting that the pension amount could be distributed through postal services or by opening bank accounts for the beneficiaries.

Otherwise, the government could also involve the local MLAs in the distribution of the pension scheme, he said adding that his party will also provide the same pension amount to the aggrieved family at the earliest.

It may be mentioned that in an unfortunate incident yesterday, 75-year-old Irengbam Purnimashi Devi of Khagempalli Pankha Ningom Leikai vomited blood while waiting for her pension at the 1st MR ground and was rushed to RIMS where the doctors declared her brought death.

JD (U) general secretary Len Gangte charged the Social Welfare minister of being insensitive to the issue and at the same time incompetent in delivering her duties.

The minister, he said is unable to chalk out a proper system for the pension scheme.

He said she should be fully held responsible for the death of the pensioner and the Chief Minister should take stern action against her for her incompetency.

He also charged director Rangitabli of being negligent and that the pensioners had already complaint of various inconveniences they had to face on the first day of pension distribution.

The minister and the director could have distributed the pension through bank accounts of the beneficiaries or engage the local clubs for the distribution, he said.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/04/jd-u-blames-minister-and-director-for-pensioners-death/