Snapshot of Manipur Govt’s coercive actions against citizens: 2023 The state government led by Biren Singh has criminalised any citizens'
19, Jan 2024 | CJP Team
The Biren Singh led state government has criminalised any citizens’ intervention from the rest of India. By assaulting fact-finding teams with FIRs, compelling them to rush to court for protection of personal liberty, the dual engine government (Union-State) have effectively used coercion and intimidation on voices wanting to reach out to people of the state; instead of performing their primary job of maintaining law and order, protecting lives and property.
- Protection in sedition case against lawyer who accompanied fact-finding team to Manipur
A three membered team of National Federation of Indian Women, associated with the Communist party, had gone to violence struck state of Manipur in the month of July. The state had been under the tight grip of ethnic violence from May 3, 2023. After the investigation, a news conference was held in Imphal on July 1 and a press release with the team’s findings was also released. The said the NIFW team had come to the conclusion that the State was behind several violent episodes in Manipur, and thus termed them to be “state sponsored”. Following this, on July 8, the Manipur Police had filed a FIR, charging advocate Deeksha Dwivedi and NIFW representatives with sedition, defamation, making assertions prejudicial to national-integration and, other related offences. On July 11, the Supreme Court had granted interim protection to Dwivedi.
- Two weeks protection from coercive action to Professor Kham Khan Suan Hausing in two criminal cases
The Supreme Court bench comprising CJI DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwala, and Justice Manoj Misra granted two-week protection to Professor Hausing against two criminal complaints. To provide a brief overview, a criminal complaint had been instituted against Prof. Hausing in the court of CJM Imphal for offences under Sections 153A (promoting enmity), 200 (Using as true such declaration knowing it to be false), 295A (hate speech), 290A (public nuisance), 505(1) (Statements conducing to public mischief), and 120B (criminal conspiracy). In this case, as per the CJM’s order, summons had been issued to the petitioner. Apart from this criminal complaint, an FIR had also been registered against Prof Hausing in the Imphal police station over allegations of fabricating evidence to enrol in electoral roll.
- Protection to Editors Guild of India after multiple FIRs filed for Manipur Reportage
On September 6, the Supreme Court granted interim protection from arrest to four members of the Editors Guild of India who were facing face multiple FIRs filed by Manipur police. These FIRs had been filed against the EGI after a fact-finding report had been published by the members on the ethnic violence that has shaken the north-eastern state of Manipur. The Chief Minister of Manipur N Biren Singh had told media that his government had filed an FIR against the president and 3 Guild members for “trying to incite ethnic clashes”. The Chief Minister has earlier labelled the guild as anti-national and anti-state.
- Interim relief to Manipur journalist against FIRs over tweets on violence in the state
On December 4, the Supreme Court had stayed the proceedings on FIRs lodged against Journalist Makepeace Sitlhou for tweets she had made in relation with Manipur violence. The bench led by CJI DY Chandrachud and comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra had granted interim relief to Sitlhou and ordered a stay on the criminal proceeding against her for the time being.
Related:
An exploration of Manipur’s incessant internet ban – a violation of fundamental freedoms
“Gross Constitutional Violations” | Supreme Court of India on Violence in Manipur
