IMPHAL, February 2: Amidst speculation following the sensational confession of Manipur Police head constable Thounaojam Herojit on the killing of Chungkham Sanjit in an alleged fake encounter at BT Road on July 23, 2009 in broad daylight, editor of Tehelka magazine which first break the much-talked story has expressed fear of coming to the State to depose in the ongoing session trial of the case.
Reports received by this daily said editor of the magazine Tarun Tejpal who is one of the prosecution witnesses of the case has pleaded with the authorities concerned to hold his part of deposition in the national capital itself.
Staff reporter of the magazine Teresa Rehman, another prosecution witness of the sensational case had deposed in Guwahati earlier.
Officials of the court had to visit the city to conduct her deposition.
Her deposition in connection with the ongoing trial was conducted in Guwahati as she also pleaded with the authorities concerned to hold the deposition in the city citing apprehension even though the court summoned her to give statement on the case in Imphal.
Tarun Tejpal was summoned by the court to give his statement but he in a written statement pleaded to perform the same somewhere in the national capital, the reports stated.
Mention may be made that City Police Station registered a case under FIR No 75 (7) 2009 City Police Station U/S 302/326/307/506 IPC, Section 17/20 UA (P) Act & 25 (I-B) Arms Act.
After the Tehelka magazine carried the fake encounter story with clear photos on August 1, 2009, Sanjit’s mother Ch Taratombi Devi filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in Gauhati High Court/Imphal Bench to probe into the staged fake encounter.
Following the news report on the case by the magazine, City Police Station registered another case under FIR No 82 (8) 2009 U/S 302/34 IPC & Section 27 (3) Arms Act.
The case was finally handed over to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on January 16, 2010 and a case was registered by the investigation agency under No Imphal (W) (SPE) – 2010 – CBI RC – IMP 2010 S0001.
The then Additional Superintendent of Police, Imphal West Dr AK Jhalajit now the SP Imphal West had also given his statement on the case.