IMPHAL, November 13: A division bench of the High Court of Manipur, comprising Justice LK Mohapatra and Justice N Kotiswar has awarded Rs 5 lakh as compensation in the case of the fake encounter killing of Nongmaithem Michael by the Manipur Police commandoes on November 4, 2008.
According to a release of the Human Rights Law Network, the wife of the diseased, Neena Devi had filed a writ petition before the High Court in 2009 following incident of her husband’s death.
The statement recalled that on November 4, 2008 around 11 am, Michael had gone to a friend’s house, where a Shradha ceremony was to be held.
At around 3:30 pm, Michael made a phone call to his wife, informing her that he was apprehended by the personnel of Manipur Police commandoes, and further told his wife to make necessary arrangements for his release.
It further said that the petitioner made a call to her husband, but it was picked up by one unknown individual and disconnected and subsequently the phone was switched off.
Neena came to know that her husband was killed at Yen-kao-bung, Kameng in a supposed ‘encounter’ through the local cable TV news in the evening on the same day.
Further the statement pointed out that the High Court on November 10, 2009 ordered for an inquiry by the District Judge, Manipur East to ascertain the facts leading to the death of the petitioner’s husband.
Accordingly, an inquiry was conducted by the District Judge, who submitted its report on July 12, 2012.
The report submitted by the Judge concluded that N Michael Singh was killed by the personnel of Manipur Police commandoes, Imphal West on November 4, 2008, at around 4:45 pm, at Yen-kao-bung, Kameng, but not from exchange of fire or encounter.
Thereafter, the High Court in this regard has awarded a sum of Rs 5 lakh as compensation under public law domain, which is to be paid within three months by the State of Manipur through the principal secretary (Home), DGP, Manipur, and the SP Imphal West, said the statement.
Advocate M Rakesh appeared on behalf of the petitioner and RS Reisang, senior government advocate appeared on behalf of the Government of Manipur, added the statement.