One year after head constable Thounaojam Herojit confessed to killing Chungkham Sanjit in the infamous BT road fake encounter incident, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is set to re-open the case, reliable sources informed Imphal Free Press.
A high level team of CBI investigators is likely to land in Imphal in the first week of February, the sources said.
Ch. Taratombi, mother of late Sanjit on December 28, 2016 had made a formal request to the director of the CBI, New Delhi to conduct further investigation on basis of the disclosures made by Thounaojam Herojit.
Herojit had revealed to IFP a year back that he had shot Sanjit inside Maimu Pharmacy following orders of the then additional SP of Imphal West, Akoijam Jhalajit Singh.
The three page appeal made to the CBI, New Delhi says that:
“I have the honour to state that I am the informant and mother of deceased Chungkham Sanjit Meitei, who was killed by Manipur police commando personnel on 23rd July, 2009 in a fake encounter. In this regard, your esteemed agency had investigated into the crime and submitted its charge sheet on 9th September 2010.
“That at present the trial is going on in the Court of Sessions Judge, Imphal West, criminal case number 23 of 2016 and so far more than 87 prosecution witnesses have been examined by the special court. In the meantime, Th Herojit who is listed as accused number 2 in the
charge-sheet made an extra legal confession through print and electronic media that he killed Sanjit on July 23rd, 2009 as ordered by his superior officer, Akoijam
Jhalajit Singh, the then additional superintendent of police, Imphal West ( now holding post of superintendent of police, Imphal East).
“That Imphal Free Press, one of the local dailies of Manipur has published the confessional statement of Th Herojit on January 26, 2016. Thereafter, Indian Express carried Thounaojam Herojit Singh’s disclosure under the heading, ‘ Imphal Encounter: 6 years later, the admission-Yes ! I Shot him dead, he was unarmed, officer told me to’ on January 27, 2016. Similarly, the CNN-IBN broadcasted the interview by Th Herojit to its anchor, Subhajit Sengupta on 27th January, repeatedly as breaking news.
“That from the disclosure made by Th Herojit, it transpired that he killed my son, Ch Sanjit as ordered by the then additional SP, Imphal West. He also disclosed that the then DGP and Chief Minister were in the know.
“That I have approached the learned trial court for seeking appropriate direction for ‘further investigation’ on the basis of the disclosure made by Herojit Singh. However, the learned trial court turned down my application with the following observation in its order dated March 3, 2016.
“In the result of the foregoing observations, I safely come to the conclusion that a magistrate or a trial court, after the commencement of trial, has no jurisdiction or power to direct further investigation, suo-moto or at the behest of the informant or victim or any aggrieved person to the investigating agency but has power to direct further investigation if the investigating agency move the court as per the ratios laid down by the Hon’ble Supreme Court in catena of cases. Furthermore, the hand of this court is completely tied even though I do feel that there is some development or changed circumstances in the factual position of the case, which may need further investigation.”
Ch Taratombi further mentions in her appeal to the CBI that she has been waiting for a positive outcome to her earlier application dated January 27, 2016 to the superintendent of police, CBI, Imphal branch.
However, there has been no response and she has been constrained to approach the CBI, New Delhi to look into the matter afresh and issue necessary directions so that a further investigation into the incident may be ensured.
She requested the CBI to initiate necessary directions on the basis of Herojit’s disclosure at the earliest and submit supplementary charge sheet against the police officers and politicians who ordered the killing of her son, for the ends of justice.
She also requested that considering the involvement of highly influential politician and police personnel, the ‘further investigation’ be handled by a CBI office located outside the state of Manipur.
It was learnt from reliable sources that the CBI, New Delhi, SC-Zone III has taken cognizance of her appeal and about to re-open the case. Moreover, documents pertaining to this case have already been procured from advocate P Ibomcha Singh, special counsel of CBI, Imphal.
This is good to learned the case is to be re open….. the killers should not be spare at any cost. the should be impose hard order considering Sanjit’s family suffers and struggle all the way till.