Road rage victim’s parents given security, Manipur tells SC

New Delhi, June 5 (IANS) The Manipur government on Monday informed the Supreme Court that 2011 road rage victim Irom Rojer’s parents have been provided round-the-clock security by Manipur Rifles at their residence.

Rojer was shot dead on March 20, 2011, allegedly by Ajay Meetai, son of present Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, who at the time of the crime was Sports Minister in the Okram Ibobi Singh government.

Additional Solicitor General Maninder Singh told a bench of Justice Deepak Gupta that orders have been issued for security to Rojer’s parents Irom Chitra Devi and Irom Lokendra Singh, and one Binalakshmi Nepram.

The couple is residing in Delhi due to fear about their safety.

Orders have also been issued to provide security to their lawyer Utsav Singh Bains when they visit Imphal in connection with their appeal pending before the high court.

On May 22, the Supreme Court had sought responses from the Centre and the Manipur government on a plea by the couple, who feared for their safety.

On Monday, the Additional Solicitor General placed before the court the June 3 orders issued by Manipur Inspector General of Police L. Kailun regarding security. The said orders, on behalf of the DGP, were issued in pursuance of a June 2 communication from the Home Ministry.

The couple have challenged in the high court a sessions court order convicting Ajay Meetai for culpable homicide not amounting to murder and sentencing him to five years’ rigorous imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 10 lakh.

Manipur Chief Secretary O. Nabakishore Singh, in an affidavit, denied that the state administration, including police, was obstructing the couple — at the instance of the Chief Minister — from approaching the high court to challenge Meetai’s conviction.

The Chief Secretary dubbed as "highly unfounded" the averment (by the Iroms) that Chief Minister Biren Singh was "abusing his official position and using his connections with terror organisations…."

The Chief Secretary denied that the state authorities were, at the Chief Minister’s bidding, acting in a highhanded and arbitrary manner or failing in their obligations to protect the fundamental rights of the couple and their family members.

Brushing aside the allegations that lawyers in Imphal refused to file an appeal against the Sessions Court’s order, Nabakishore Singh’s affidavit pointed to the statement of All Manipur Bar Association and the Manipur High Court Bar Association that no lawyer was ever approached by the Iroms for filing the appeal.

The apex court, in the last hearing on May 30, had asked the Centre to consider security for the Iroms and others as it had observed that "nobody has the courage to make allegation against the Chief Minister without any reason" and that "if they want protection then they should be given. There should not be any problem in providing security to them".