High profile drugs seizure case of 2018 : ND&PS Court acquits Lhukhosei Zou
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 17 2020: Former Chandel ADC Chairman Lhukhosei Zou and six others accused of a high profile drug seizure case that dates back to 2018 have been acquitted by the Special Court, ND&PS today.

A special trial case with respect to the high profile drug seizure was heard at the special Court today against 13 accused out of whom four have been already discharged and the Court convicted two of them while the other seven were acquitted.

The two convicted by Special Court (ND&PS) Judge W Tonen Meitei are Thangminlun Zou and Tung Khan Mung Zou alias Mung alias Aric.

The order passed by the Court says that the remaining seven accused including Lhukhosei Zou have been acquitted from the case as the prosecution has totally failed to prove the charges levelled against them.

While directing the Sajiwa Central Jail authority to releasel Lukhosei Zou immediately after completion necessary formalities, the Court asked the author! ties concerned lo produce Thangminlun Zou and Tung Khan Mung Zou alias Mung alias Aric before it on December 21 for sentence hearing.

Notably, a combined team of Narcotic and Affairs of Border (NAB) and Imphal West district police arrested Lhukhosei Zou and seven others along with a huge quantity of heroin and WY tablets (worth Rs 27 crore) and Rs 57,18,000 in cash on June 19, 2018 .

The bust came following the arrest of Esther Vungheinuam of Moreh Ward No 1, Tung Khan Mung Zou alias Mung Zou alias Aric of Moreh Ward No 3 Gamnom Veng and Teresa alias Nengboi Ngaite alias Nengboi of Moreh Ward No 1 from Mantripukhri area the same evening.

Based on their revelation, Thangminlun Zou, driver of the former Chandel ADC Chairman Lhukhosei Zou, was arrested from Langol Game Village Zone 1 with a huge consignment of drugs.

Furthermore, police also arrested one Lawrence Zou, a sound recorder at St Joseph's Cathedral Church, Mantripukhri who revealed that more durngs were kept at the VIP quarters of Lhukhosei Zou.

Accordingly, police arrested the former Chairman along with his PRO, Jamkhohao and Minlal Mate, from the quarters along with a huge consignment of drugs.

It was also reported that police recovered one 0.32 prohibited bore (NPB) pistol along with 21 live rounds, a single barrel rifle with two gun licenses, Rs 95,000 in demonetized Indian currency and Rs 13,13,00 in cash from the quarters.

Lhukhosei Zou was given interim bail on health ground on December 19, 2018 by the Special Court (ND&PS) which directed him to appear before the same Court on January 2, 2019 but he disappeared without any trace.

He suddenly appeared and surrendered before the Court on February 28, 2020, and prayed for allowing him a chance to defend himself in the special trial against him and seven others.

Lhukhosei's counsel submitted before the Court that on January 5 last year, Lhukhosei Zou was abducted by KNA Eastern Zalengngam (Burma) and detained in Myanmar and interrogated in connection with the case.

As such, he could not appear before the Court which declared him as a proclaimed absconder, the counsel explained, further claiming that Lhukhosei Zou had no intention to abscond from the proceeding of the case and was willing to join the trial.

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