A criminal case has been registered against an Imphal-based politician for writing an opinion column where he alleged that the present crisis in Manipur is the creation of the Assam Rifles unit at Mantripukhri. The column, published on May 31 in an Imphal-based newspaper The Frontier Manipur and on news portals, alleged that Myanmar-based “Kuki terrorist outfits” were being protected by the Assam Rifles.
A First Information Report (FIR) was registered on June 12 at the Imphal West police station against Jagat Thoudam, adviser to a Meitei outfit named the Indigeneous People’s Front. The FIR, a copy of which is available with The Hindu, said that Mr. Thoudam has been booked under Section 124 A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), pertaining to sedition, and Section 153 A of the IPC, pertaining to promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to the maintenance of harmony. The complaint was filed by the Headquarters Inspector General, Assam Rifles (South) at Mantripukhri in Imphal.
Mr. Thoudam could not be reached for comment.
