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Sunday, Aug 29, 2004

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Assam Rifles men appear before probe panel

By Iboyaima Laithangbam

ACT AGAINST ACT: College students being arrested in front of the Manipur Chief Minister's residence in Imphal on Saturday when they were protesting against the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act. — PTI

IMPHAL, AUG. 28. The four accused Assam Rifles personnel today appeared before the Manorama Death Inquiry Commission here, after avoiding appearance before it five times. The Chairman of the Commission and retired District and Sessions Court Judge, C. Upendra, had made it clear that if the personnel — accused of raping and killing Thangjam Manorama — failed to appear by 10.45 a.m. today arrest warrants issued against them would be executed.

Though the Director-General of Police, Manipur, had been directed to arrest them, the order was kept in abeyance on the basis of the assurance given to the Commission by the Assam Rifles counsel, Triveni Prasad.

At 10.30 a.m. today, Mr. Prasad appeared before the Commission and produced some fax messages from another counsel of the Assam Rifles in Guwahati pleading in the High Court there for setting aside the Upendra Commission on the ground that the Manipur Government had not obtained the prior permission of the Centre before setting it up and that the State Government had no authority to probe the activities of the security forces engaged in maintaining law and order.

Plea to hold back probe

Mr. Prasad handed over the fax messages to the Chairman and requested him to hold back the probe since the matter would be heard by the High Court. But counsel for Manorama's family said that it was merely a personal letter by the Assam Rifles counsel in Guwahati to his counterpart in Imphal and, as such, the Commission should not take judicial notice of the same.

Mr. Upendra ruled that under the circumstances he would go ahead with examining the accused. Thereafter, Mr. Prasad produced the accused personnel before the Commission.

Tight security

Apart from the security arrangements made by the DGP, Manipur, armed Assam Rifles men were deployed around the Commission premises.

The accused were brought in a bullet-proof jeep surrounded by armed personnel.

The Commission sent out reporters and lensmen since the hearing would be held in camera as per the Guwahati High Court order.

Brother identifies two

Thangjam Dorendra, younger brother of Manorama, today identified two of the four accused Assam Rifles personnel before the Commission.

Dorendra reportedly said he could identify two of them but as regards the other two he was not sure as it was dark when the incident took place.

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