IMPHAL, July 8: Today the High Court of Manipur has set Rajanglung Kamei, who was in the custody of 10 Assam Rifles since June 22 last; free to go as per his wishes and desire as a free citizen of this country, said a release Human Rights Law Network.
The said order was passed by a division bench of the High Court of Manipur at Imphal comprising of Chief Justice Abhay Manohar Sapre and Justice Nongmeikapam Kotiswar Singh consequent upon a Writ Petition filed on June 27, 2013 by Thuinilung Kamei, elder brother of Rajanglung Kamei of Longmai (Noney) Part – 1 village, Tamenglong District, the release further said.
On 5th July 2013, the High Court of Manipur has directed the Commanding Officer of the 10 Assam Rifles to produce the corpus of Rajanglung Kamei before the Court today. In compliance with the said order, Rajanglung Kamei was produced before the Court today at 10.30 a.m, it said.
On being asked by the Court, Rajanglung Kamei stated that he had never surrendered before the 10 Assam Rifles. He further stated that he was called upon by the Commanding Officer of the 10 Assam Rifles to come to the camp. He has expressed his desire to be free; he does not wish to stay with the Assam Rifles and wishes to go back to his own home, it said.
On the other hand, Major Gagan Malhotra of 10 Assam Rifles, who was also present before the Court, stated that Rajanglung Kamei has sought to surrender before the Assam Rifles and he has been kept in Assam Rifles Camp on his request for his own safety. According to him, there is certain threatening perception on the part of the said Rajanglung Kamei in connection with the incident in which six members of NSCN (K) cadres were killed in an encounter with the Assam Rifles at Song lung village, the release said.
After hearing the submission of the Petitioner’s counsel Meihoubam Rakesh, Advocate and Assam Rifles’ Counsel Amarjit Naorem, CGSC as well as after considering the statement of Rajanglung Kamei, his wife Kim Kamei and his brother Thuinilung Kamei, the Court has come to the conclusion that it is not the case of detention passed on any proceedings and Rajalung Kamei may be allowed to go back to anywhere he desires. Further, the court found that that there is not specific allegation against the said Rajalung Kamei, which would warrant any further detention or confinement against his wish, the release said.
In the result, the Court has issued an order thereby setting Rajanglung Kamei free to go as per his wishes and desire as a free citizen of the country, it said.
The Respondents of the present case includes Union of India through the Defence Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Government of India; Home Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, government of India; Inspector General, Assam Rifles (South); Commanding Officer, 10 Assam Rifles; State of Manipur through the Principal Secretary (Home) to the Government of Manipur and Director General of Police, Manipur, it added.