Manipur: Journalist Arrested for Inflammatory Post on Social Media

Kishorechandra Wangkhem, a journalist from Manipur, associated with ISTV network was arrested on Thursday on charges of writing inflammatory posts on Facebook. Other journalists in the Manipur capital, Imphal has however chosen to come out in favour of the arrested journalist and marched from the Press Club to Chief Minister N Biren Singh’s bungalow on Saturday. the Journalists demanded the release of the arrested journalist.

Associated with ISTV network as a sub-editor cum anchor which is one of the two cable television networks in the state, Wangkhem was arrested on charges of misusing the social media with the intention of inciting public mischief. The journalist is also charged with criminal intimidation. The journalist was sent to 15-day police custody on August 10 by the chief judicial magistrate of Imphal.

The report says that the journalist had posted pictures with captions that intended to “cause fear or alarm to sections of the public”. The FIR states that the captions used in the photos posted by the journalist intended to “cause fear or alarm to sections of the public whereby any person may be induced to commit an offence against the state or public tranquility and incited any class or community of persons to commit any offence against any other class or community, promoting enmity or hatred between classes on ground of religion, caste or community.”

Wangkhem’s wife Ranjeeta Elangbam states, “They say he committed a cybercrime without even specifying the posts for which he has been arrested.”

Wangkhem’s friends and colleagues who work in different media groups are in favour of the journalist and strongly condemns his arrest. They are demanding for an immediate release of Kishorechandra Wangkhem. his colleagues are taking every suitable step to make sure that Wangkhem is released for which All Manipur Working Journalists’ Union President Brojendro Ningombam met Chief Minister N Biren Singh and apologized on behalf of Wangkhem. As a result of this effort of the Union President, CM Singh assures of the journalist's release on bail.