Manipur: Imphal editor Maibam Dhanabir released on bail

The Duty Magistrate, Imphal West released the editor of Hueiyen Lanpao, Maibam Dhanabir on bail furnishing a PR bond of Rs 50,000 with like amount surety on January 7. 

The editor was arrested on January 5 and was remanded in three-day police custody till January 7 in connection with an FIR registered against him "for promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion, wrongful communication of information under Official Secrets Act, 1923."

The investigating officer of the case submitted that on January 4, in the front page of Hueiyen Lanpao newspaper published a news item which mentioned that "the special commandos at Moreh requested to issue 50,000 ammunition to perform their duty smoothly."

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It also submitted that such a news item may induce any section of the public to commit an offence against the state or against public tranquillity, and the investigating officer of the case prayed for judicial remand.

The counsel of the editor argued the submission of the investigating officer and prayed for Dhanabir Maibam to release on bail. The court, after hearing the submission, granted bail to the editor.

The Congress on Sunday strongly deplored the reported arrest of two editors of vernacular newspapers in Manipur and demanded their immediate release, alleging a "double engine assault" by the Modi government and the Manipur dispensation on the state. 

In a statement, Congress' media and publicity department head Pawan Khera said that in yet another crackdown on press freedom, two editors from two language newspapers have been arrested by the Manipur government.