IMPHAL, May 10 (NNN): Manipur Human Rights Commission (MHRC) on Monday sought the status report of the investigation in connection with the alleged custodial death of a goldsmith.
The goldsmith, Arambam Nanao (37) of Kangabam Leikai of Imphal West district, was reportedly picked up by a police team in civvies from his locality on May 2 morning and died at RIMS hospital, Imphal where he was evacuated by the same police team.
The MHRC on Monday heard a petition filed by three organisations – Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights (CSHR), Extra Judicial Execution Victim Families Association (EEVFAM) and Human Rights Alert (HRA)– seeking intervention in the investigation on the alleged custodial torture and death of Nanao.
The complainants further urged the commission to monitor the investigation to ensure that prompt, thorough, independent and impartial investigation was conducted.
During the hearing before the acting chairperson, the MHRC stated that after careful perusal of the material available with the commission, it does feel a prima-facie case for human rights violation is made out and registered a complaint case for inquiry under section 12 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993.
The commission then issued a notice to the Manipur chief secretary, the DGP, the Imphal West SP and the OC of Imphal police station asking them to submit the status report of the investigation along with a copy of the postmortem report on or before May 13, 2022.
Mention may be made that after registering a case, the Imphal police station had arrested the sub-inspector of police who led the police team after he was suspended from his service.
The Imphal police station has been investigating the case after registering an FIR case under section 304/34 IPC.
Recently, Imphal West chief judicial magistrate (CJM) had also ordered a judicial inquiry into the alleged custodial death of the goldsmith after hearing a petition filed by the mother of the victim.
