Imphal: A court in Manipur has registered a charge order against nine police commandos in connection with an alleged fake encounter and extra-judicial killing, and has fixed November 24, 2025, for framing charges against them.
The Sessions Judge, Imphal East, recorded the charge order after a hearing on October 13, reports stated on Friday.
The case pertains to the killing of Elangbam Kiranjit on May 24, 2009, by a combined team of Thoubal police commandos and the 23 Assam Rifles.
The incident occurred between Sabungkhok and Laikot villages under the Lamlai police station in Imphal East district.
The CBI filed the chargesheet, along with prosecution sanction under Section 197 of the CrPC, against nine accused persons. The names of two other accused, Major Anshuman Badoni and Naib Subedar Govind Singh of the 23 Assam Rifles, are also included in the chargesheet. However, the Central Government has not issued sanction under Section 197 of the CrPC for prosecuting these two officers.
The CBI took over the case from the Lamlai police station and registered an FIR. It constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) by an order dated June 27, 2017, to investigate cases of extra-judicial killings, following the directions of the Supreme Court of India in response to a writ petition filed by the Extra Judicial Execution Victim Families Association (EEVFAM) and Human Rights Alert (HRA).
Based on a complaint lodged by Jemadar Hollal Haokip of the Thoubal commando unit, the Lamlai Police also registered an FIR on April 24, 2009, regarding the killing of Elangbam Kiranjit.
According to the report, one underground cadre was killed in an exchange of fire while another escaped.
A 9mm pistol, containing two live rounds and one in the chamber, was also recovered from the encounter site.
During the court proceedings, family members of the late Elangbam Kiranjit testified that he had left home around 3 pm on April 23, 2009, on a bicycle to search for their cow at Thoubal Khuman, carrying a rope and a mobile phone. His body was later found at the RIMS Hospital morgue in Imphal.
The court observed that there exists a prima facie case suggesting that the victim was abducted and killed, as alleged in the CBI's chargesheet.
It also found a prima facie case indicating that the recovered pistol was planted and that the written report filed by the Jemadar was fabricated.
The chargesheet, along with the prosecution sanction under Section 197 CrPC, names the nine accused as:
They have been charged under Sections 302, 34, and 201 of the Indian Penal Code.