HCM appealed

    14-May-2019
IMPHAL, May 13: Session Judge Imphal West has requested the Registrar, High Court of Manipur, to transfer the July 23 (Khwairamband Keithel firing incident) case to any other competent Court and fixed June 17 for further proceeding of the matter.
The request was sent from the Session Court Imphal West to Registrar, High Court of Manipur during the Court proceeding today.
Special PP, CBI and all the accused persons of the case including then OC City PS, Y Munal, Hijam Devendro, Thounajam Herojit, Ngangom Toyaima, Wahengbam Binoykumar, Thokchom Jagat, Md Imram Khan, Oinam Keshor and  Makan Kanchup Chothi, were present before the Court with their respective counsels during the proceeding
Session Judge Imphal West, after going through  the case record, found that Senior Advocate L Lakhikanta, who is a senior while she was practising, is leading the defense counsel of the accused persons (except Th Herojit) and as such it would not be proper for her to try the case any further.
Thus, Session Judge Imphal West requested the Registrar High Court of Manipur to put the matter before the High Court of Manipur so as to transfer the case to any competent Court and fixed June 17 for further proceeding.
Mention may be made that the trial began before then Session Judge Manipur East on November 23, 2015, after charges were framed against all the accused cops based on the charge sheet submitted by CBI in connection with the July 23 (2009) Khwairamband Keithel firing incident which led to the death of two civilians, Thokchom Rabina and Chungkham Sanjit.    During the five year long hearing of the case, more than 100 prosecution witnesses (out of 220) deposed before the Court in connection with the case, which included then Additional SP Dr AK Jhalajit, Sanjit's mother Taratombi, Editor of ISTV, Brozendro Ningomba, Director of Human Rights Alert, Babloo Loitongbam, founder cum former Editor of Tehelka Magazine, Tarun Tejpal, former Managing Director of Tehelka Magazine, Shoma Choudhary, Head Constable Th Herojit (one of the accused who had confessed before media persons that he shot dead Chungkham Sanjit, who was unarmed, inside Maimu Pharmacy along BT road as per the instruction of his superior officer).