A Lieutenant Colonel of the Indian army, Dharamvir Singh has alleged that his unit was behind fake encounters of innocent civilians and extortion in north-eastern state of Manipur, a media report said on Tuesday.
Lt Colonel Singh’s wife has moved to the Manipur High Court claiming that her husband was wrongly detained by army soldiers on July 1 morning and was kept under house arrest till the court ordered his release, ANI reported.
“Ranju Singh on July 20 had submitted an affidavit with the court on behalf of her husband highlighting possible reasons behind latter’s arrest,” said the report.
The affidavit accused few army officers of demanding extortion money and carrying out fake encounter of innocent individuals in the north-eastern state of Manipur.
Fearing that the Army officials will continue to harass her husband and family, Ranju mentioned in the affidavit that Lieutenant Colonel Dharamvir Singh in the year 2016 had complained about wrongdoings of some officers.
The affidavit accused few army officers of demanding extortion money and carrying out fake encounter of innocent individuals in the north-eastern state of Manipur.
Following the complaint, some senior officers turned vindictive and began to harass Lieutenant Colonel Singh, said the affidavit.
Owing to pressure mounted on Lt. Col. Singh, he, later on, withdrew the complaint on the assurance that action will be taken against the perpetrators.
Notably, Lt. Col. Singh was serving as officer commanding, 3 CISU at M Sector, Imphal when he was allegedly arrested.
“He was taken away by the officials in front of me. We don’t know why he was arrested and where he has been taken. I don’t know anybody over here. Nobody was ready to help me, at last, I sought the court’s help in this matter. My husband has done nothing, he is innocent,” Ranju told ANI.
The affidavit mentions three alleged fake encounters and an extortion case by one unit and one particular team of the CISU.
The affidavit further divulges about the extortion and fake encounter killings of Manipur boys, Phijam Naobi, R.K. Ranel and Th Prem who were picked up from Dimapur in Nagaland and allegedly killed after being tortured.
Their dead bodies were found in Lakhijan area under Bokajan police station in Karbi Anglong district of Assam on March 12, 2010.
It also mentions the custodial killing of PLA leader Gypsy and her friend who were picked up from a rented accommodation near SM College in Dimapur.