International Human Rights Association (IHRA) president Mark Thangmang Haokip, who was brought to Imphal on Friday, was sent to judicial custody for 15 days.
Mark T Haokip was produced before the Duty Magistrate, Imphal West on Friday wherein he was given bail by the magistrate. However, the human rights activist was sent to judicial custody after he failed to furnish bail money of Rs one lakh and two sureties.
The IHRA was arrested on May 24 from New Delhi and brought back to Imphal on transit remand on Friday in connection with FIR case registered before City police in connection with a Facebook post that allegedly promoted enmity between communities.
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Police stated that on April 17, Mark Haokip uploaded a social media post on Facebook, stating that the “Merger of Manipur with the Indian union states that the merger agreement of Manipur with the Indian Union was signed between the Maharaja Manipur Bodha Chandra and VP Menon, advisor to the government of India, ministry of state on behalf of the dominion of India on September 21, 1949 at Shilong, in which the Maharaja of Manipur surrendered his territory, titles, authority, rights, and privilege except for his personnel properties and religious rites and received a sum of 3 lakhs per year. Thus, the sovereignty and independence of Manipur as a country came to end on the date the Maharaja appended his signature on the historic merger agreement.”
Police submitted others Facebook posts that allegedly promoted enmity among communities.
Police stated that Mark Haokip Human has the intention to misinterpret the merger agreement, thereby reticulating and provoking sections of the community leading to disaffection, disloyalty, all feelings of enmity and criminally intimidating the lawfully established government.
Further, his statement creates or promotes enmity, hatred, or ill will amongst the communities, thereby publishing on social media leading to confusion and affecting the sentiments of different sections of Manipur, according to police report.
Therefore, for thorough interrogation and examination of documents, the police prayed the court to remand him in custody for eight days.
However, the counsel of Mark Thangmang Haokip filed an objection to the police remand and prayed for releasing him on bail. The court, after examining the materials, granted Mark Thangmang Haokip bail. However, Mark Thangmang Haokip failed to furnish the bail bond and like amount surety. Therefore, the court remanded him in 15-days judicial custody till June 10.
It may be mentioned that the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Imphal West had issued a non-bailable warrant of arrest against Mark Thangmang Haokip in connection with an application filed by Imphal Police Station.
The application was filed by the officer in-charge of Imphal police station for the issuance of a non-bailable warrant of arrest against Mark Haokip. As per the application, Mark wrote derogatory and defamatory statements both on his Twitter and Facebook accounts against freedom fighter Padma Bhushan awardee Rani Gaidinliu on November 23, 2021.
The application mentioned that leaders of 10 civil society organisations of Manipur lodged a complaint before the OC of Imphal police station stating that such derogatory and defamatory statements by Mark had hurt the sentiments of many people and might disturb communal harmony.
The court issued a non-bailable warrant of arrest and directed the police to produce him before the same court by June 20.
