IMPHAL, August 17: For the first time in Manipur, the Judicial Magistrate First Class, Imphal has passed an order for issuance of non-bailable warrant of arrest against fair price shop agent and SK oil sub-dealer of Polling Station No. 17/11 of Lamsang Assembly Constituency for their failure to distribute items under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS) to certain number of the BPL Ration Card Holders of Mayanglangjing Taning, said a release of Human Rights Law Network (HRLN).
The said non-bailable arrest warrant was issued after the filing of a Criminal Complaint by three villagers of Mayanglangjing Taning namely Yumnam Ibochou Singh, Takhellambam Ongbi Sanatombi Devi and Sagolshem Ongbi Leiren Devi against their fair price shop agent namely Wanglembam Mangibabu Singh and S.K. Oil Sub-Dealer namely Takhellambam Bhubon Singh, it further said.
In their complaint they claimed that even though the Deputy Commissioner, Imphal West has issued BPL Ration Cards to their families but the above named FPS Agent refused to distribute BPL Rice to them since September 2008 without assigning any valid reason, it said.
At the same time, the complainants have stated that even though they were entitled to get 4 litre of Kerosene Oil every month, they were given 2.5 litre of kerosene oil on monthly basis by the above named SK oil sub dealer, it said.
The Court passed the said order for issuance of non-bailable warrant of arrest on August 16, 2013 after recording the statements of the complainants and after considering the material on records, it said.
Consequently, the said arrest warrant was issued today thereby directing the Officer-in-Charge, Lamsang Police Station to execute the said warrant of arrest, it said.
It may be mentioned herein that the Supreme Court of India in its Judgment dated August 3rd, 2012 in “Sadhupati Nageswara Rao -Versus- State of Andhra Pradesh” has held that the Courts cannot take lenient view in awarding sentence on the ground of sympathy or delay, particularly, if it relates to distribution of essential commodities under any Scheme of the Government intended to benefit the public at large, it said.