Manipur Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Thounaojam
Brinda returned her Chief Minister’s Gallantry medal on Friday, having received
it earlier in a drug probe in which Bharatiya Janata Party ADC Chairman and six
others were related.

Brinda further gave in writing Chief Minister N Biren Singh
her reason for doing so to be a court observation which noted the investigation
in the case to be ‘unsatisfactory’ and acquitted the related parties of all
charges, said an NDTV report.

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She was conferred the Gallantry Award on August 13, 2018 on the
occasion of Patriots’ Day, being a part of the state government’s ‘War against
Drugs’.

Reportedly, the officer returned the medal with “utter
regard for the state department” and as per “the decision reached by
the Hon’ble ND&PS Court, Lamphel, which acquitted former Bharatiya Janata
Party ADC Chairman Lhukhosei Zou and six other individuals, implicated in the
case where a huge amount of drugs were seized.”

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Brinda stated that she was morally inclined to returning the
medal, as she felt she has not conducted her duty on par with the wishes of the
criminal justice system, and did not consider herself to be worthy of the
honour bestowed upon her.

“…I, therefore, return the same to the state Home Department
so that it may be given to a more deserving and loyal police officer.”, Brinda
was quoted as saying in the statement.