Manipur student leader held on sedition charges in Delhi

Imphal, February 16

Manipur Students' Association Delhi (MSAD) advisor Thokchom Veewon was arrested under sedition charges by a joint team of Delhi and Manipur police here on Friday, police said.

Imphal East district superintendent of police Megha Chandra said he was arrested in a joint operation with the Delhi Police. He is the second person to be arrested in Manipur under sedition charges. Veewon would be brought to Imphal for necessary actions, Chandra said on Saturday.

He said the Manipur SP CID had conducted an inquiry against the student leader relating to charges of cyber crime. The report of the inquiry was sent to the Imphal East district police.

Consequently, a police team had gone to his house in Manipur on February 12. When he was not found there, the police asked his family to advise him to concentrate on his studies.

Veewon's family members had told the police he was preparing for an examination in Delhi.

According to the SP, his messages on social media incited people and as such an FIR was registered against him under sedition charges.

Chandra said, "One message said 'the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 will be passed and in such a situation people of Manipur may seek self determination'. Veewon also referred to the incident of 'June 18, 2001 when the Manipur Assembly complex was burned'."  Some months ago Kishore Chandra, a news anchor in a local cable channel, was arrested under sedition charges for speaking out against a government function to mark the birth anniversary of Lakshmibai, the Rani of Jhansi, saying she had nothing to do with Manipur.

Though a district and sessions court ordered his release, the Manipur government arrested him from the court complex and detained him for one year under the National Security Act. — IANS