CBI, NIA refute allegations of high-handedness in Manipur, say arrests based on evidence
Imphal (PTI): Amid tribal groups accusing the NIA and CBI of high-handedness in Manipur, the central agencies on Monday said every arrest made in the restive state, which has been witnessing ethnic clashes since May, is based on evidence gathered by investigative teams.
The NIA and CBI officials working here in an ethnically charged environment have been facing the daunting task of completing investigations in various cases, including those related to attacks on Army personnel in 2015, the probe agencies said.
Refuting the allegations levelled by the Indigenous Tribal Leaders' Front (ITLF), an organisation claiming to represent the Kuki-Zo community of Manipur hills, officials from both agencies said no partiality has been shown against any community, religion or sect, and that only the rule book of the Indian Penal Code was abided by.
Referring to the recent arrest of Seiminlun Gangte, a tribal, the officials said he is one of the key accused in an SUV blast case that took place in the Kwakta area of Bishnupur district on June 21. Three people were injured in the blast.
He was brought to New Delhi after securing his transit remand from the competent court. In the national capital, the accused was produced before a designated court, which remanded him to NIA custody, they added.
Due course of law is being followed and the evidence collected by the anti-terror agency will be placed before the competent court, the officials further said, adding that baseless allegations were being made only to derail the probe and create confusion among the general public.
On September 22, the NIA arrested Moirangthem Anand Singh from Imphal in connection with a different case. Singh, along with four others, was arrested by the Manipur Police for possession of weapons looted from the police armoury.
However, all five were bailed out, but Singh was arrested by the NIA for his involvement in terror activities. He was brought to Delhi and is facing due legal process, the officials said.
Similarly, the arrests carried out by the CBI on Sunday were based on preliminary evidence collected during its probe into the cases of two missing Manipuri students who are believed to have been killed, its officials said.
All four were placed under arrest in a joint operation of the CBI, Manipur Police and the Army to ensure that there was no adverse law-and-order situation, they said.
More than 180 people lost their lives and several hundreds were injured since the ethnic clashes broke out in Manipur on May 3, after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribe status.
Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur's population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley. Tribals -- Nagas and Kukis -- constitute little over 40 per cent and reside in the hill districts.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
