Manipur student leader arrested for sedition over FB post on Citizenship Bill

Manipur student leader arrested for sedition over FB post on Citizenship Bill

Guwahati: Veewon Thokchom from Manipur was reportedly taken into police custody on Friday evening under sedition charges.

The student leader and activist was allegedly arrested by Manipur Police and Delhi police in connection to a case registered at Imphal West over a Facebook post where he had criticized the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill and reportedly made a call for independence if the Bill was passed. Thokchom was arrested on Friday from his Saket residence and taken to Janakpuri police station in Delhi.

The Citizenship bill, however, has not been placed in the Rajya Sabha by the Centre as the people and different political and non-political organizations have protested throughout the country against the bill.

Since the arrest of the student leader, no one has any clue about his whereabouts and student leaders from Manipur based in the national capital has searched for him as to where he was being held.

Meanwhile, police have denied his whereabouts saying that they don't have any role in his arrest.

A senior Adviser to the Manipur Students' Association of Delhi (MSAD), Damodar Arambam said that the officials have not shared any information about Thokchom's whereabouts but he was to be produced before the Patiala House Court on Saturday. Arambam along with Human Rights Law Network (HRLN) waited before the Patiala House Court for Thokchom to be produced.

Arambam while waiting for Thokchom in the Patiala House Court said, "We have been waiting for four to five hours but Thokchom wasn't brought to the court and after waiting for hours we come to know that he has been taken to the district court in Saket where the Manipur police has sought a transit demand," said Arambam.

Shreeji Bhavsar of HRLN however, informed that the lawyers' network is mulling filing a habeas corpus in the Delhi High Court.

Thokchom is likely to produce before a magistrate in Manipur on Sunday.

Thokchom had also posted in Facebook earlier that his parents were threatened by police from Imphal East and West districts.

Superintendent of Police of Imphal East District, K Meghchandra while addressing a press conference said that the police team established that deliberate planning was made by Thokchom and his associates to spread hatred, incited violence during the protest against the controversial bill in the state of Manipur.

Thokchom also urged the people to intensify agitation, burnt properties and even confront with some political parties when there was a curfew in Imphal.

Also Read: Manipur News

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