Singjamei police in Manipur’s Imphal West
district had registered a suo motu case against the portal’s
editor-in-chief, Sadokpam Dhiren, executive editor Aribam Paojel Chaoba,
and M. Joy Luwang for an article, “Revolutionary Journey in a Mess”.
Two editors of a web portal, The Frontier Manipur,
booked on charges of charges of sedition and helping unlawful
organisation on Sunday were not only released on Monday but all charges
against them were also dropped.
Singjamei police in Manipur’s Imphal West district had registered a
suo motu case against the portal’s editor-in-chief, Sadokpam Dhiren,
executive editor Aribam Paojel Chaoba, and M. Joy Luwang for an article,
“Revolutionary Journey in a Mess”.
The article, written by Luwang and published on the portal on January
8, was a criticism of the state’s armed groups and had also issued a
call to “work with togetherness” to streamline the “revolution”.
The police said the article “openly endorsed revolutionary ideologies
and activities and expressed shock and dismay at the deteriorating
character of the armed revolutionary leaders of Manipur” and lead to the
registration of the case against the editors who have admitted to
publishing it but denied knowledge about the author.
The FIR says the accused attempted to bring
hatred/contempt/disaffection against the government and of hatching a
criminal conspiracy and being a sympathiser of unlawful organisation.
The were booked under Sections 124A (sedition), 120B (criminal
conspiracy), 505(b) (incitement) and 34 (common intent) of the IPC, and
Section 39 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, which deals with
furthering the activity of a terrorist organisation.
Dhiren and Chaoba’s lawyer, Chongtham Victor, had on Sunday night
said they have been arrested and were to be produced in court on Monday.
But he refused to comment on the matter on Monday.
Sources familiar with the case told The Telegraph that the
“intervention” of the All Manipur Working Journalists Union seeking the
release of the duo, the “leniency” shown by chief minister N. Biren
Singh and a “clarification” issued by the editors resulted in their
release. by noon. The Editors Guild Of India too had issued a statement
seeking their release and withdrawal of the cases that pose a threat to
free expression, and to democracy itself.
“Senior journalists approached the chief minister. Both sides
explained their positions and concerns and the chief minister ordered
their unconditional release. The editors too offered a formal
clarification admitting that publishing the article without verifying
the source was an oversight on their part and such mistakes will not
pass their scrutiny in the future,” a source said.
Imphal West superintendent of police K. Meghachandra Singh told this
newspaper that all charges against the duo have been dropped but the
investigation against Luwang will continue. “They were released around
noon on PR (personal recognizance) bond. The matter was amicably
resolved after the intervention of senior journalists and the
government,” he said.
Asked whether the police can release persons arrested on charges like
sedition and under the UAPA, Singh said: “ We had filed the FIR on our
own. It was not reported by anyone. Sometimes prima facie there may be
many things but on close examination we find something different. They
were detained for 24 hours. Our investigation against Luwang, the author
of the article, will continue.”
According to Singh, the case was registered against the editors and
Luwang because the article was alarming. “It has the potential to create
unrest, pose a serious threat to rebels who have joined the mainstream,
was against the state and had urged the civil society to help, correct
and streamline the movement led by the revolutionaries,” Singh said.
Associate editor Kishorechandra Wangkhem is also a part of the
portal’s editorial team but was not questioned. He was earlier booked
for sedition and was released on bail last month. The web portal was
launched last year.