DESAM Thoubal District Council vice president Lisham Bijoyraj and IPSA asst. information & publicity secretary Okram Amarjit (also known as Thoi), were remanded into police custody for investigation by DM, Imphal West (Judicial Magistrate First Class, Imphal West-II) on May 6 for six days.
TFM Desk
Citing “mistake of fact” by the Investigating Officer (IO), the two activists who were reportedly arrested for voicing against the desecration of religious flags planted atop Mt Koubru, on social media platforms, were released “without any condition” on Tuesday.
“It is submitted that the finding of investigation is becoming purely a mistake of fact, as such the LO. of the case has submitted the Final Report u/S 173 Cr.P.C. on the ground of “Mistake of Fact” through the Officer-in-Charge of Imphal P.S. who took up this case as a suo motu case,” stated an order by the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Imphal West.
The two accused — DESAM Thoubal District Council vice president Lisham Bijoyraj and IPSA asst. information & publicity secretary Okram Amarjit (also known as Thoi), were remanded into police custody for investigation by the Duty Magistrate, Imphal West (Judicial Magistrate First Class, Imphal West-II) on May 6 for six days.
The final report was submitted by the IO of the case after proper investigation and the complainant/informant of the case, i.e., the Officer-in-Charge of Imphal PS had submitted the final report for acceptance. Accordingly, the final report was accepted and it may be revived whenever any clue comes to light in future, the order stated.
“The two accused persons, namely, Lisham Bijoyraj Singh @ Tampok @ Abung and Okram Amarjit @ Okram Amarjit @ Thoi Meetei are discharged from the liability of the case and as such they are released without any condition,” it added.
Mahousa Kanba Lup president Dodo Luwang, who was present at the Cheirap Court complex when the two activists were released, lauded chief minister N Biren Singh for releasing the two without any condition. He also commended the duo for bringing in light the incident of desecration of the flags to the public. As soon as the COVID crisis subsides in the state, a movement will be launched to build a temple atop the sacred Mt Koubru, he added.
On the other hand, Democratic Students’ Alliance of Manipur (DESAM) secretary general Leishangthem Lamyanba, who was also present at the court complex, termed the arrest as “arbitrary detention” and asserted that such an incident should not occur in the future. He also showed appreciation to the state government for releasing the duo without any conditions, sensing the sentiments of the people on the issue.
Lamyanba further urged the state government to protect the sites related to the indigenous religion or people of the state. No community should act in a way that could hurt the sentiments of other indigenous communities of the state, he added.