The Chief Judicial Magistrate, Imphal West on Wednesday released a teacher and a student, who were arrested on alleged charge of being underground (UG) cadres, on bail by giving leniency considering their tender age and executing a PR Bond of Rs 50, 000 each with surety of like amount.
The teacher Wairokpam Loyangamba Meetei and student Khelen Singh, who is a library and documentation secretary of AMSU, were arrested on October 19, 2021 over suspicion of being members of an outlaw banned organisation from Mongsangei Maning Leikai. They have been remanded to police custody for eight days. They were produced before the court on Wednesday through Jitsi Meet (video conference) by police with the prayer of 15 days remand to judicial custody.
While counsels of the two persons filed bail applications by objecting to the remand prayer of police.
State additional PP, M Jamuna Devi submitted that it is highly required to arrest one Athouba of the banned UG organisation. If the accused persons are released on bail, there is a strong likelihood of tempering the evidence and witnesses and may commit offence in near future.
Praying for release of the two accused on bail, the counsels submitted that Wairokpam Loyanganba Meetei is presently working as an assistant teacher at Success School and he went with Khelen Singh, who is a student and currently preparing for various competitive examinations.
After considering the submission, the court gave some leniency to the accused persons considering their tender age. The court opined that the court is not inclined to remand them to judicial custody and spoil their whole life just for some allegation that could not be substantiated with materials or evidence.
The court released the two accused with the conditions that they should make themselves available for interrogation by IO as and when required; they should not commit any offence in the future; they should not leave the state without prior permission of the court; and they should not temper or threaten the witnesses.
