After 4 months in prison for criticising CM, Manipur journo set to walk free

Kolkata: More than four months after journalist Kishorchandra Wangkhem was detained under the National Security Act (NSA) for criticising the chief minister, Manipur high court on Monday ordered his release.
“In the facts and circumstances of what has been discussed … this writ petition succeeds and, accordingly, the detention order dated 27.11.2018 passed by the District Magistrate, Imphal West along with all other consequential orders are set aside and quashed. The petitioner, namely, Shri Kishorchandra Wangkhem … is directed to be set at liberty forthwith unless he is not wanted in other cases,” the high court order states.

A division bench of Justice Lanusungkum Jamir and Justice Kh Nobin Singh had concluded hearing the case on March 4 this year and reserved its verdict.

“The court verdict is in Wangkhem’s favour because the state did not follow any constitutional provisions while taking Wangkhem into preventive custody under NSA,” the 39-year-old journalist’s counsel, S Chitaranjan, told TOI, adding that it will take a few days for him to be released.

“It is very likely that the state home department will study the court order, which will then find out if Wangkhem has any other cases against him. Only after this process is complete, the state will release him,” his other counsel, Victor Khaba, explained. “I am sure the verdict will help other NSA detainees in the state,” he added.

Advocate General N Kumarjit, meanwhile, said he hasn’t seen the judgment yet and cannot comment on it.

Wangkhem, arrested on November 27 last year, has been in prison for 132 days now. On November 20, he had been arrested on sedition charges for uploading a video in which he described Manipur CM N Biren Singh as a “puppet” of the Hindutva government under Modi because of the scale of celebrations of Rani Laxmibai’s birth anniversary in the state. He was released six days later, only to be sent to prison under NSA a day later.

Wangkhem’s wife, Elangbam Ranjita said she was happy but cannot breathe easy until she sees her husband walk free. “We were not expecting the order to come out today. We are glad that the verdict has gone our way. It may take a few days for the due process to be completed, after which he will be released ... I am still afraid. I can’t be completely relieved until he is released, but I have full faith in the judiciary,” she told TOI.

Ranjita said the ordeal has changed her as a person. “We live in constant fear. We hope to continue the fight to ensure that people enjoy their basic human rights, including freedom of expression ... It is true that Wangkhem used abusive language in the Facebook post. But how can this be a threat to national security? This is an example of abuse of power ... I hope the court verdict will now set an important precedent,” she added.

Ranjita, a therapist by profession, said she had told her elder daughter that her father would be back home for her aunt’s wedding on March 18. But it was a promise that she could not keep. “I asked her what toys she wants from her father now. She told me anything will do as long as her father is back home,” Ranjita added.