Babysana case : Bail plea of Landhoni rejected

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Oct 7: Session Judge, Imphal West, today, rejected the bail applications filed by Pheiroijam Landhoni, founder cum Principal of Standard Robarth Higher Secondary School and her daughter Pheiroijam Romita, coordinator of the same school, ruling that it did not find any ground to release them.
Members of Babysana JAC tried to storm the Court  but they were stopped by a strong police posse outside the Court complex.
Landhoni and her daughter Romita are presently lodged in judicial custody in connection with the mysterious death of N Babysana inside the hostel of the school on July 18.
As fixed by the Session Judge Imphal West for further hearing of the bail application, the Court heard the submission of Additional PP, counsel assisting the APP and counsels of the bail petitioners in length today.
During the hearing, the counsels of the two individuals submitted that the founder cum Principal and coordinator of Standard Robarth Higher Secondary School were arrested on August 3 after they surrendered and ever since then, they have been lodged in judicial custody.
However, they are innocent and had no hand in the death of the girl and there are no evidences so far so as to implicate them in the case, the counsels claimed adding that as per that claims of the prosecution, the deceased was not happy and she did not want to go home and instead chose to stay in the boarding, which means that she was happy in the boarding.
As per the police report, the victim committed suicide and hence there is no further need to detain the two individuals in custody. The seizure of a piece of rope from the house of the victim clearly shows that the two individuals had no hands in the suicide, the counsels contended adding that such plastic rope is not a prohibited item as such ropes are used in other purposes as well.
It was also submitted that running of two schools has no connection with the alleged offence and the two arrested people command respect in the society and added that the two individuals cannot commit any offence which will tarnish the image of the school.
On the other hand, the APP of the State submitted that there is no ground for releasing the two persons on bail as they have actual charge and control the school and the residential school which have been operating under their control and by their family.
It was also revealed that corporal punishment was used and the school defied the Supreme Court guideline on child safety in schools. According to the second post mortem report, there is suspicion of sexual assault/ murder and the matter is under investigation, the APP contended.
On the other hand, the Assisting Counsel also submitted that high probability of sexual assault and murder were mentioned in the second post mortem report.
The Court, after hearing the submission of both parties, ruled that it did not find any ground for releasing the two individuals on bail and thus rejected and disposed their bail applications.
During the hearing today, Babysana's father and some womenfolk were allowed entry into the Court room to witness the proceeding.
On the other hand members of the JAC against the death of Babysana staged a protest outside the gate of the Court today too.