Manipur High Court
Shri Soram Tekendrajit vs The Union Of India Represented By The … on 9 March, 2026
Author: Ahanthem Bimol Singh
Bench: Ahanthem Bimol Singh
SHAMURAIL Digitally signed by
ATPAM SHAMURAILATPA
M SUSHIL SHARMA
SUSHIL Date: 2026.03.09
REPORTABLE
SHARMA 18:10:41 +05'30'
Sl. Nos. 10-11
IN THE HIGH COURT OF MANIPUR
AT IMPHAL
PIL No. 18 of 2024
1. Shri Soram Tekendrajit, aged about 81 years, S/o (L) S.
Mani Singh, resident of Uripok Sorbon Thingel, P.O. & P.S.
Imphal, District Imphal West, Manipur- 795001.
2. Shri Samom Dhruba, aged about 46 years, S/o S. Guno
Singh, resident of Yumjaomanbi 91 Meitei Langol, P.O. &
P.S. Lamphel, Imphal West District, Manipur - 795004.
......Petitioners
Vs.
1. The Union of India represented by the Secretary,
Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, New
Delhi - 110001.
2. The Director General of Central Reserve Police Force,
Government of India, New Delhi - 110001.
3. The Director General of National Investigating Agency,
Government of India, CGO Complex, Lodhi Road, New
Delhi - 110003.
4. The State of Manipur through the Chief Secretary,
Government of Manipur, Secretariat South Block, P.O. &
P.S. Imphal, Imphal West District, Manipur - 795001.
5. The Director General of Police, Government of Manipur,
Babupara, P.O. & P.S. Imphal, Imphal West District,
Manipur - 795001.
6. The Superintendent of Police, Jiribam District,
Government of Manipur, Jiribam, P.O., P.S. & District
Jiribam, Manipur- 795116.
......Respondents
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With MC(PIL) No. 28 of 2025
Ref:- PIL No. 18 of 2024
The Director General of National Investigation Agency,
Government of India, CGO Complex, Lodhi Road, New
Delhi – 110003.
……Applicant/Respondent No. 3
Vs.
1. Shri Soram Tekendrajit, aged about 81 years, S/o (L) S.
Mani Singh, a resident of Uripok Sorbon Thingel, P.O. &
P.S. Imphal, District Imphal West, Manipur- 795001.
2. Shri Samom Dhruba, aged about 46 years, S/o S. Guno
Singh, resident of Yumjaomanbi 91 Meitei Langol, P.O. &
P.S. Lamphel, Imphal West District, Manipur – 795004.
3. The Union of India represented by the Secretary,
Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, New
Delhi – 110001.
4. The Director General of Central Reserve Police Force,
Government of India, New Delhi – 110001.
5. The State of Manipur through the Chief Secretary,
Government of Manipur, Secretariat South Block, P.O. &
P.S. Imphal, Imphal West District, Manipur – 795001.
6. The Director General of Police, Government of Manipur,
Babupara, P.O. & P.S. Imphal, Imphal West District,
Manipur – 795001.
7. The Superintendent of Police, Jiribam District,
Government of Manipur, Jiribam, P.O., P.S. & District
Jiribam, Manipur- 795116.
……Proforma Respondents
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BEFORE
HON’BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE MR. M. SUNDAR
HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE AHANTHEM BIMOL SINGH
(ORDER)
s
(Order of the Court was made by M. Sundar, CJ)
09.03.2026.
[1] In the hearing today, Mr. M. Rustam, learned counsel along
with learned counsel Ms. Julekha Khan for the PIL (‘PIL’ denotes ‘Public
Interest Litigation’) petitioners, Mr. N. Nongdamba, learned counsel led
by Mr. Kh. Samarjit, learned senior advocate and DSGI (Deputy Solicitor
General of India) for R1 to R3 and Ms. Thanyomi Keishing, State Counsel
led by Mr. H. Debendra, senior advocate and Deputy Advocate General
for R4 to R6 are before this Court. To be noted, ‘R1’ denotes ‘first
respondent’ and similar abbreviations are being used for other
respondents also.
[2] Main PIL was taken up with the consent of all the aforesaid
learned counsel and learned senior counsel.
[3] Captioned matter pertains to an unfortunate incident on
11.11.2024 in Jakrodhor Karong village, Jiribam District, Manipur in
which 8 (eight) civilians in all which includes 3 (three) women and 3
(three) minor children including a 8 (eight) months old isnfant were
killed/abducted and killed. This unfortunate incident includes allegations
of residential houses and shops being set ablaze.
[4] Captioned PIL has been filed with prayers seeking direction
to the respondents to secure/arrest the culprits, complete the
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investigation within a stipulated period and also pay adequate
compensation to the families of the deceased.
[5] In the hearing today, from the proceedings made in the
previous listings, progress reports placed before this Court from time to
time and other submissions made by learned counsel before this court,
it comes to light that the case is now pending as Special Trial (NIA) Case
No. 4 of 2026 in the ‘court of Special Judge, NIA Special Court-I, Manipur’
(‘said court’ for the sake of brevity) 3 (three) persons alleged to have
committed the afore-referred offence/s have been secured/arrested,
chargesheet has been filed on 23.01.2026, cognizance of chargesheet
has been taken by said court qua all 3 (three) accused and as of
10.02.2026, there is a direction to furnish RP to the accused (this court
is informed that ‘RP’ is an abbreviation for ‘Relevant Papers’).
[6] Thereafter, from the e-Courts website, we find that the case
was listed in said corut on 10.02.2026, 24.02.2026 and scanned
reproduction of the proceedings of said court made on 10.02.2026 and
24.02.2026 are as follows :
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[7] It comes to light from the afore-referred proceedings that
R.P. have since been furnished to the accused and the matter is now
scheduled to be listed tomorrow (10.03.2026) for charge hearing i.e., for
hearing regarding framing of charges.
[8] As regards compensation to the victims, learned Deputy
Advocate General and senior counsel Mr. Debendra, on instructions from
State Counsel Ms. Thanyomi Keishing, submitted that administrative
approval for compensation totaling Rs. 80 lakhs (10 lakhs to the next of
kin [NoK] of each one of the deceased) has been accorded vide
proceedings dated 27.11.2024 bearing reference No. H-4/40/2024-HD-
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HD and a scanned reproduction of this order which is placed before usis as follows :
[9] Learned Deputy Advocate General, on instructions, submits
that with the exception of cases where there are rival claims inter se
NoKs, disbursement has also been made qua afore-referred
compensation under State & Central ex-gratia scheme.
[10] Reverting to the proceedings in said court, learned Deputy
Solicitor, on instructions and also by adverting to the chargesheet, more
particularly, paragraphs 18.1 and 18.2 thereat, submits that further
investigation under Section 193(9) of ‘Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita,
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2023 (46 of 2023)’ [hereinafter ‘BNSS’ for the sake of brevity] (to be noted,Section 173(8) of erstwhile the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973) is being
resorted to and if further materials surface, needful will be done inter-alia
by securing person/s concerned and file additional chargesheet.
[11] As regards said court, we find that said court is not an
exclusive NIA court i.e., it is not a dedicated NIA court but it is a designated
court being court of District and Sessions Judge, Imphal East. This means
that other civil and criminal cases are also being dealt with by the said court.
We have examined the statement showing opening balance, institution,
disposal and pendency of cases qua said court as of January, 2026. As
regards criminal cases, 66 main cases and 55 miscellaneous cases are
pending. As regards civil cases, 19 main case and 18 miscellaneous cases
are pending. In other words, a total of 85 main cases and 73 miscellaneous
cases are pending. We also find that criminal cases include 13 special trial
NIA cases.
[12] In aforesaid backdrop, we deem it appropriate to request the
said court to adhere to Section 19 of ‘the National Investigation Agency Act,
2008 (34 of 2008)’ [‘said NIA Act‘ for convenience] which mandates that
trial under NIA Act shall be held on day-to-day basis on all working days
and that such trial shall have precedence over trial of other cases against
the accused in other Courts (not being a Special Court). This Court is also
informed that constitution of an exclusive NIA Court is in the anvil. This
submission of learned State Counsel is recorded.
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[13] We request the said court to complete chargesheet hearingi.e., hearing for framing of charges preferably tomorrow or at the earliest
depending on what unfurls in the hearing tomorrow and also complete the
trial and return a verdict as expeditiously as the official business of said
court would permit.
[14] The narrative thus far makes it clear that the prayers of the
PIL petitioners have been addressed and in any event, it is open to the PIL
petitioners to come to this Court again on the same matter if any other issue
pops up or if there are any other change of circumstances.
[15] As regards the captioned MC, which has been taken out by
NIA, Mr. Nongdamba, learned counsel on record, very fairly submitted that
as chargesheet has since been filed, the captioned MC has become
infructuous and he is not pressing the same, saying so learned counsel has
made an endorsement in the case file and scanned reproduction of the
same is as follows :
[16] In the light of the narrative thus far, captioned main PIL is
disposed of as closed albeit with preservation of rights in the aforesaid
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manner and observations as set out above. Captioned MC is disposed of asnot pressed/closed.
[17] There shall be no order as to costs.
JUDGE CHIEF JUSTICE
FR/NFR
Sushil
P.S. I : Upload forthwith
P.S. II : All concerned will stand bound by web copy uploaded in High Court
website inter alia as the same is QR coded.
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