Special Judge (NIA), Manipur in-charge on Tuesday remanded two individuals arrested for alleged link with insurgency to 15-day judicial custody till August 9.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) produced Bijoy Kakchingtabam, 54, son of (Late) K Achouba Sharma of Khongman West, Imphal East, District through video conferencing as he tested COVID-19 positive and Leimapokpam Shanjitkumar Singh, 41, son of (Late) L Godadhor Singh of Singjamei Oinam Thingel, Imphal West District in physical before the court with a prayer of judicial custody on Tuesday.
During the hearing, PP of NIA submitted that during the custodial interrogation, both the alleged accused revealed that they were in contact telephonically with cadres of different groups of banned organisations. Both had revealed that they, along with their associates, went to Tamu, Myanmar in the direction of banned groups’ cadres and met with the leaders of the banned organisations several times.
Further, they revealed that they went to Bishnupur from Imphal to pick up a lady under the direction of one SS publicity director of a banned group. And many other facts, relevant with the investigation of the case, were disclosed by the alleged two accused, submitted the PP of NIA.
From the submission, the court was satisfied with the accusation level against them and remanded them into judicial custody.
The court stated that for Bijoy Kakchingtabam, who has tested positive for COVID-19, the CIO of NIA was directed to keep him in a COVID protocol maintained or a in a COVID Care Centre till he tests negative and the duration of his stay in COVID protocol-maintained facility may be treated as judicial custody remand.
Both the alleged accused filed bail applications to release them. However, the court stated that consideration of the bail application will be fair to be heard before the regular Special Judge (NIA), Manipur.
The bail application was treated as a regular bail case and registered accordingly with the court and a call for bail objection report from the CIO, NIA, Imphal branch office fixed August 2 for report and bail hearing.
