New Delhi: Observing that no one will make serious allegations against the chief minister of a state, the Supreme Court on Monday asked the home ministry to consider providing security to the parents of a youth who was killed in a road rage case in 2011 involving Ajay Meetai, the son of Manipur chief minister N. Biren Singh.
Last week, the court had issued a notice to Mr Singh and Union home secretary, seeking protection on a writ petition by Irom Chitra Devi, the mother of Irom Roger.
Appearing for Manipur, advocate general Naorem Kumarjit Singh informed the court the state was willing to provide security to the victim’s family. However, counsel Kamini Jaiswal, appearing for the petitioner, said the family had shifted to Delhi fearing safety and it was for the Union government to provide them security.
When additional solicitor general Maninder Singh sought time, Justice Sikri observed: “Nobody is going to make serious allegations against a chief minister unless the facts are correct.”
The ASG said he would consult the state government and evaluate the threat perception and take necessary action for which one-week time is required. The bench will hear on June 5.
The petitioners submitted that Ajay Meetai has been awarded five-year jail under Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the IPC for firing at Roger in a road rage incident on March 20, 2011. Roger had allegedly not allowed Meetai to overtake him in his SUV. The incident irked Meetai and he fired at Roger, who later died.
The trial court later converted murder into one of the culpable homicides not amounting to murder and the appeal is yet to be filed in the high court. It was alleged the Manipur CM misused police raids at the houses of the victim and Binalakshmi, disconnected electricity to their houses, illegally detained her brother, used threats from terrorist ground to intimidate her and then called for a compromise, which she refused.
The petitioners said that the State machinery is acting in a high handed, illegal biased and arbitrary manner. There has been a complete denial of access to justice to them as when they approached the lawyers in the High Court of Manipur at Imphal to file an Appeal against the judgment of Sessions Judge, Imphal (West) where the CM’s son has been convicted for the murder. The issue regarding the threat and victimization of the Petitioners and their family members has come out in the public media.
It was alleged that they are being continuously threatened and victimized by various disgruntled elements, at the behest of the CM, who is the only interested party. The situation in the State of Manipur as alleged in the Writ Petition is very politically charged and hostile towards the Petitioners, therefore, in such situation, the Petitioners are unable to approach the High Court of Manipur at Imphal.
