MNF president files defamation case against Congress mouthpiece

AIZAWL: Former chief minister and president of the opposition Mizo National Front (MNF) Zoramthanga on Thursday filed a criminal complaint against 'Congress Thlifim', mouthpiece of the ruling Congress, against which a local judicial magistrate admitted a defamation case under sections 500 (defamation) and 501 (printing or engraving matter known to be defamatory) of the Indian Penal Code.
'Congress Thlifim' (or gentle breeze) wrote in its March 2018 issue, quoting Thansanga of Aizawl, that Zoramthanga had ordered the assassination of Reverend Chanchinmawia in 2007, while he was the chief minister for the second consecutive term.
Zoramthanga's lawyer C Lalramzauva said the two-time chief minister filed the criminal complaint in the court of Judicial Magistrate First Class H Lalduhsanga in Aizawl.
Lalramzauva added that the criminal complaint was filed against the publisher, editor and other staff of the Congress mouthpiece and other people involved in "smearing the name" of the MNF leader.
Former president of the Mizoram People's Forum (MPF), a conglomerate of churches and NGOs for electoral and political reforms, Rev Chanchinmawia was found dead in his official pastor's residence at the Khatla locality in Aizawl on October 1, 2007.
Thansanga reportedly said that he was offered lakhs by the MNF chief, then state chief minister Zoramthanga, to arrange for the assassination of the priest by insurgents.
While the family members of the priest said that he committed suicide due to depression and the investigations by the special investigation team (SIT) of the state police and the central bureau of investigations (CBI) concluded the death of the pastor as a suicide, not a homicide.
The death of the Presbyterian Church priest, who held the top position of Moderator of the Mizoram Synod, the highest decision making body of the church, continued to haunt the MNF as opposition parties accused the leaders of ordering the alleged assassination even as investigating agencies submitted reports concluding the death as suicidal one.