Manipur High Court orders release of Journalist Wangkhem

The Manipur High Court on Friday ordered the release of journalist Kishorchandra Wangkhem, who has been in jail since May after he was arrested for a Facebook post and charged under provisions of the National Security Act.

A two-member bench comprising Chief Justice PV Sanjay Kumar and Justice Kh Nobin Singh ordered the release of the journalist who worked with a local television channel on a personal bond of Rs 1,000.

The Supreme Court had on Monday ordered the release of Erendro Leichombam, who too was arrested on the same ground and charged under the National Security Act. In a petition addressed to the high court chief justice, Wangkhem’s wife, Elangbam Ranjita, cited the release of Leichombam while seeking bail for her husband.


In its order, the high court referred to the Supreme Court ruling in Leichombam’s case that said his continued detention would amount to violation of his right to life and personal liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution.

It noted that after the SC order, the Manipur government revoked the May 17 detention order against Leichombam, and that on the face of it, the court found no distinction or difference between the two cases. “Both of them put up similar Facebook posts, critical of the utility of cow dung and cow urine in treating coronavirus. As they stand identically situated, we are of the opinion that the continued incarceration of the petitioner’s husband would be as much a violation of Article 21 of the Constitution, as it was in the case of Erendro Leichombam,” it said.