Several CSOs, student bodies and Meira Paibi groups have been demanding his release alleging that he was arrested on trumped up charges for organising a protest demanding the government to appeal against the judgment acquitting Lhukhosei Zou and others in a drug haul case.
TFM Desk
Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Thoubal on Monday granted bail to Coalition Against Drugs and Alcohol (CADA) Thoubal District Committee general secretary Laishram Herojit (also known as Sintha). He was arrested by Thoubal Police on April 7 and was accused of being an overground worker of an unlawful organisation. He was charged under Section 39 of the UA(P)A.
Several CSOs, student bodies and Meira Paibi groups have been demanding his release alleging that he was arrested on trumped up charges for organising a protest demanding the government to appeal against the Judgement acquitting Lhukhosei Zou and others in a drug haul case.
On April 7, CADA Thoubal District Committee and Ningol Club, Heirok jointly organised a sit-in against the inaction and silence of the state government on Lhukhosei Zou case and Phoudel drug case. It was part of the ongoing protest spearheaded by CADA.
Sintha, who took an important role in organising the protest, shared photographs of the sit-in on social media platforms.
According to his mother, he was whisked away from home at Heirok Part-III Champrathong by a team of Thoubal Police Commando on the pretext of having a talk. But according to Thoubal police, Sintha was arrested from Wangjing near Canteen Lampak.
Ningol Club president Sofia Khundongbam had said that after the sit-in, the Thoubal SP had allegedly called her up and enquired about the protest. The SP was particularly miffed with a placard used in the protest – “chief minister should resign”.
On Monday, Sofia expressed gratitude to all the CSOs, student bodies and Meira Paibi groups who had supported Sintha while he was in the police lock-up.
CADA has been vehemently demanding the release of Sintha unconditionally. It has been maintaining that the arrest of Sintha would not be able to deter the ongoing protests against the menace of drugs.