New Delhi: The State Government of Manipur provided compensation of Rs. 5.5 lakhs to the next of kin of Chongkham Sanjit Singh, a victim of extrajudicial execution following directions of the National Human Rights Commission acting on a complaint filed by Asian Centre for Human Rights on 3 August 2009.
On 23 July 2009, Chongkham Sanjit Singh, son of Chongkham Khelson of Kongpal Sajor Leikai, was killed in broad day light by the Manipur Police Commandos in a fake encounter at Maimu Pharmacy near Gambhir Singh Shopping Arcade at the BT Road area in Imphal, Manipur. The deceased was a former cadre of banned Peoples’ Liberation Army. He had surrendered to the police and was working as an attendant in a private hospital.
Police claimed that deceased was killed in an encounter after he fired on the team. However, the photographs released by Tehelka (news magazine) contradicted the police version of the encounter. The photographs clearly showed that before the killing, deceased Sanjit Singh was cornered and frisked by the Manipur Police Commandos and not chased as claimed by the police. In the photographs Sanjit Singh was seen standing in a Public Call Office booth surrounded by the police commandos adjacent to a pharmacy and calmly walking away with the heavily armed police commandos. There was no sign of resistance. A pregnant woman was also killed in the alleged encounter.
The State Government of Manipur constituted a judicial commission headed by Justice (Retd.) P. G. Agarwal to investigate the incident and Justice Agarwal had submitted to the state government. But the report is yet to be made public.
Separately, an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation was ordered and the CBI concluded that the investigation was fake and charge sheet was filed in the court against seven police personnel.
The NHRC too intervened in the matter based on the complaint filed by ACHR and the NHRC in its field hearing at Imphal on 23 October 2013 took up the matter.
Vide its proceedings dated 8 July 2014 the NHRC directed the Chief Secretary, Government of Manipur to furnish the information regarding the action taken on the report of the judicial commission. The NHRC also directed the Director of the CBI to submit a copy of the charge sheet filed and inform about the status of the trial of the case.
On 27 May 2015, the NHRC concluded that it was a clear case of human rights violation and issued notice under Section 18(a)(i) of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993 to the Government of Manipur to show cause as to why the NHRC should not recommend monetary relief to the next of kin of the deceased Chongkham Sanjit Singh.
The NHRC informed the Asian Centre for Human Rights that the Government of Manipur has provided compensation of Rs. 5.5 Lakhs to the next of kin of the deceased. Accordingly, the NHRC closed the case on compliance of its order.
