Manorama case: Court rejects Army plea for DNA profile

A local court has rejected Army's application to direct Manipur Police to produce DNA profile of semen found on Manorama's garments.

A local court has rejected an application of the Army Court of Inquiry to direct Manipur Police for producing the DNA profile of semen found on the undergarments of Thangjam Manorama who was arrested by Assam Rifles on July 10 and found dead the next day.

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After hearing counsels of the state government and Assam Rifles, Chief Judicial Magistrate, Imphal, Padmeswar Singh rejected the application yesterday saying a judicial commission was inquiring into the circumstances that led to the death of Manorama Devi and his court had no jurisdiction in this matter.

The Army Court of Inquiry and the judicial commission of retired judge C Upendra are separately probing the death of Manorama Devi.

The Army court wanted to compare the DNA profile of the semen found on Manorama's garments with those of blood samples of the Assam Rifles personnel.