PAC, NEFIS demand immediate handing of Pravish Chanam case to CBI; submits memorandum to union Home Minister

Imphal, March 13: A delegation of North-East Forum for International Solidarity (NEFIS) today submitted a memorandum to Union Minister of Home Affairs, Rajnath Singh regarding the lack of investigation into case of death of a Manipuri youth, Pravish Chanam in Noida, Uttar Pradesh under suspicious circumstances.
People Action Committee (PAC) which has been spearheading agitation for justice to Pravish Chanam also demanded positive response from the Union Home Minister who is visiting the state on March 16. In a press conference at Manipur Press Club, Convenor of the PAC said that even though the BJP government has assured to hand over the case of the brutal murder of Pravish Chanam to CBI, nothing has been done for the CBI to investigate the case. The Convenor also decried Chief Minister N. Biren Singh’s refusal to meet the PAC regarding the matter. He said if no announcement regarding the case is made during the HM visit the PAC will intensify the agitation.
Meanwhile, sit-in-protest has been staged at Langthabal demanding justice for Pravish Chanam.
Pravish Chanam, died in Noida last year under suspicious circumstances. He had come to Delhi on a visit and had been residing in Safdarjung, Delhi with his friends.
On 8th September 2017, he went to Knowledge Park in Noida to attend a music concert with his friends and went missing after the concert and had been later found dead. The Noida Police had been making investigation into the circumstances which led to his death. But the shoddy inquiry conducted by the police as well as the subsequent details of the case strongly pointed towards the dubious role of police personnel themselves in the case. Consequently, the victim’s family demanded an inquiry by Central Bureau of Investigation into the case. Since, the matter fell under the authority of UP Govt, the deceased’s family requested the Manipur Govt to ask UP Chief Minister to transfer the case to CBI.
Despite UP Govt assuring the Manipur Govt that the case would be transferred to the CBI, no further steps have been taken in this direction. This amounts to a blatant attempt to shield the culprits by allowing them ample time to destroy evidence which may implicate them in future. The delegation sought immediate intervention of the Union Home Ministry into the matter.
Besides the PAC, the NEFIS also warned of an intensification of people’s struggle, if its demands are not met.