Manipur cop returns gallantry medal after court's observation in drugs case

Manipur Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Thounaojam Brinda returned her Chief Minister’s Gallantry Medal on Friday (December 18), which she had received for a drugs case involving former Bharatiya Janata Party ADC chairman and six others.

The Special Court (ND&PS) in Imphal on Thursday (December 17), acquitted Lhukhosei Zou, former chairman, Chandel Autonomous District Council, and the six others accused.

Brinda was conferred the Chief Minister’s Police Medal for Gallantry on the occasion of Patriots’ Day, August 13, 2018, as part of the state government’s “War against Drugs”.

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In 2018, a Manipur police team conducted an operation in Imphal and seized heroin and World is Yours (WY) amphetamine tablets worth more than ₹27 crore.

In a letter, she cited the reason for returning the medal: “In recognition for this case as part of the Hon’ble Chief Minister’s ‘War against Drugs,’ I was conferred the Chief Minister’s Police Medal for Gallantry on the occasion of Patriots’ Day,13th August, 2018. I feel morally inclined that I have not conducted my duty as “per the wishes” of the Criminal Justice Delivery System of the land. Hence, for the reason cited above, I do not consider myself deserving of the honour bestowed upon me by your good self. I, therefore, return the same to the state Home Department so that it may be given to a more deserving and loyal police officer.”

She also wrote to Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh stating the reason to be the court’s observation of acquitting the accused of all charges citing the drugs probe as “unsatisfactory”.

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The police officer returned the medal with “utter regard for the state department” and following “the decision reached by the Hon’ble ND&PS Court, Lamphel, which acquitted former Bharatiya Janata Party ADC Chairman Lhukhosei Zou and six other individuals, implicated in the case where a huge amount of drugs were seized.”

Brinda said as the investigation and prosecution have been deemed unsatisfactory by the ND&PS Court, she was returning her medal.

(With inputs from agencies)