Agencies
IMPHAL, MAY 1
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he hearing on the petition filed against the extra-judicial killing of three Manipuris allegedly by 3 Corps soldiers in Nagaland has been postponed till Monday by the Manipur high court.
Before entering into the merit of the case, the court had heard arguments of both the parties about the maintainability to file the writ petition in Manipur.
Vice army chief Lt-General Dalbir Singh Suhag, who is tipped to become the next army chief, is among the key respondents of the case.Lt-Gen Suhag was commanding the 3 Corps when the three were killed after being apprehended allegedly by personnel of the Corps’ intelligence and surveillance unit in March, 2010.
Victims Naobi, RK Ronel and Th Prem, all of Imphal, were abducted on March 10, 2010 from Char Mile area of Dimapur and their bullet-riddled bodies were found in Assam’s Lakhijan area on March 17, said the petition filed by Naobi’s brother.
Central Government Standing Counsel (CGSC) Amarjit Naorem, appearing on behalf of the respondents, argued that the maintainability to file the writ should be either at the Kohima bench of the Gauhati high court or the principal seat in Guwahati as the cause of action took place in Nagaland and Assam.
The court on Wednesday fixed the matter for hearing on Monday, he said. He added that the court has so far not issued notice to the respondents. Senior army officers, including a Major General, came down to Imphal to assist the case on behalf of the respondents, a source said.
