IMPHAL: Erendro Leichombam, the fiery Manipur activist who was released from prison in compliance with a Supreme Court order on Monday evening, lost no time in lambasting the state government for misusing the National Security Act (NSA).
Everybody in the state, nation and the world knows today that “this government is terrorising the people of Manipur. This is an act of political terrorism…”, thundered Erendro, who was detained under the NSA over a controversial Facebook post that said cow dung and cow urine cannot cure Covid.
Complying with a Supreme Court order, the Manipur government on Monday released Erendro from the Central Jail at Sajiwa in Imphal East around 5pm.
As asked by the apex court, a personal bond of Rs 1,000 was furnished for the release, advocate Chongtham Victor, appearing for Erendro, told this reporter minutes after the release.
As he walked out of prison, Erendro alleged that anybody can be arrested whenever they speak against the government.
“And so this is a concerted attempt by the current administration to silence the citizens. I am somebody who is giving clear expression to what people are feeling", he said, adding that what he speaks on television and writes in the newspapers and Facebook is an expression of what people are feeling.
Erendro, local journo were arrested on May 13 over Facebook posts
The verdict followed a petition filed by Erendro’s father L. Raghumani Singh who challenged the NSA order passed by the district magistrate (Imphal West). Headed by Justice D.Y. Chandrachud and Justice M.R. Shah, the order said, “…having prima facie considered the contents of the petition, we are of the view that the continued detention of the petitioner before this Court would amount to a violation of the right to life and personal liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution..
“We accordingly direct that the petitioner shall be released forthwith as and by way of an interim direction of this Court, unless he is required to be in custody in any other case, subject to further orders, subject to his filing a personal release bond in the amount of Rs 1,000.”
The court asked the respondents (Manipur officials) to comply with the order on or before 5pm of Monday. It listed the matter for further hearing on Tuesday.
Erendro (40) and a local journalist, Kishorchandra Wangkhem (41) were arrested by the police from their houses in Imphal on the night of May 13 this year for their Facebook posts they had made the same day.
Erendro, convenor of the Manipur-based political party, Peple’s Resurgence Justice Alliance (PRJA), wrote, “The cure of corona is not cow dung & cow urine. The cure is science & common sense. Professor ji RIP.” Kishorechanda posted on similar lines in local Manipuri language. Their posts alluded to the death of Manipur unit BJP president S. Tikendra Singh from Covid.
An FIR case was registered against them at Imphal police station under sections153-A/505(b)2 IPC r/w 201/295-A/503/504/34 IPC based on a complaint lodged by a Manipur BJP leader.
Though the chief judicial magistrate (Imphal West) released them on bail on May 17, they could not walk free as the district magistrate of the same district issued the NSA order against them taking into account the police report.
Among others, the police charged them of causing “enmity, hatred, ill will in order to instigate hatred between different communities and classes of people in the state”.
The two had earlier been arrested several times for criticising the government and BJP leaders. Kishorechandra was detained for over four months under NSA while Erendro was charged with sedition.
The two had earlier been arrested several times for criticising the government and BJP leaders. Kishorechandra was detained for over four months under NSA while Erendro was charged with sedition
