Dhiren Sadokpam is the editor-in-chief of the Frontier Manipur.
Two journalists in Manipur have been charged with sedition and arrested under the stringent anti-terror law - the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) - over an article published in The Frontier Manipur, a local news portal.
The Frontier Manipur executive editor Paojel Chaoba and editor-in-chief Dhiren Sadokpam were arrested by the Manipur Police. They have been accused of serious charges like criminal conspiracy, causing alarm to induce offence against the state and supporting terror organisation.
The news website on January 8 published an article- "Revolutionary Journey In A Mess" by M Joy Luwang - that criticises Manipur's "armed revolutionary groups" for straying from the "revolutionary cause".
A first information report or FIR was filed by the state police suo moto, or out of its own accord, which named the author of the articles and the two editors as accused.
The Frontier Manipur executive editor Paojel Chaoba has also been accused of sedition.
"The author endorsed revolutionary ideologies and activities and expressed dismay at the deteriorating character of the armed revolutionary leaders of Manipur in the recent decade. His article clearly expressed sympathy and support to the ideologies and activities of the armed revolutionary groups and out rightly called the rule of law of the Union and State government as colonial law. The author endorsed revolutionary ideologies and activities and expressed dismay at the deteriorating character of the armed revolutionary leaders of Manipur in the recent decade," reads the police complaint, a copy of it is available with NDTV.
There have been similar cases against the Manipur journalists and activists in the past. In 2018, TV news anchor Kishorchandra Wangkhem was detained for four-and-a-half months under the National Security Law for alleged derogatory comments against the BJP government in the state and Chief Minister N Biren Singh. He is once again under arrest in a separate case.
In 2020, Manipuri activist Erendro Leichombam was accused of sedition over a Facebook post.
Also last year , Jawaharlal Nehru University research scholar Mohammad Chingiz Khan and Gauhati University assistant professor Mohammad Imtiyaj Khan were charged with sedition after a translation of their old opinion article on issues faced by Manipuri Muslims appeared in a local newspaper.
