Erendro Leichombam, convenor of Peoples’ Resurgence and Justice Alliance (PRJA) party was sent to 15 days of judicial custody after he refused to furnish a PR bond of Rs 5000 in a case pertaining to the circulation of a video containing inflammatory speeches in a bid to allegedly arouse hatred among Manipuri and Bihari people. Meanwhile, Six out of seven people detained in the case were released on bail by the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Imphal West on Monday. The accused were booked under the sections of IPC and IT Act for allegedly promoting enmity between different groups and criminal intimidation. Pleading the court to remand the accused to a judicial custody for 15 days, the prosecution informed that the video was uploaded by Rupesh alias Babua Thakur, 26, son of Sanjay Thakur of Parora village in Begu Sarai of Bihar. The court said that though their conducts are condemnable, their intention in uploading the video cannot be equated with the persons making it, and that it did not find any culpable element against the accused in uploading the clips to increase hatred between Maniupris and Biharis, which was the intention of the makers of the video. Erendro, however, said that he would not pay for his bail until he is released unconditionally. "The state government has become such that no individual or citizen can speak a word against it and the present administration is akin to keeping the public’s mouth gagged," he added. He alleged that the developing situation is a gross injustice as there has been no action against those who created and uploaded the inflammatory video.
