In response to ongoing protests and agitation by civil society organizations, a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Manipur granted conditional bail to five individuals who were arrested on September 16. These individuals had been apprehended while wearing security forces uniforms and carrying sophisticated weapons. Four of the accused were released and returned to their families, while one of them, Moirangthem Anand Singh, was rearrested by the NIA for other cases.
Singh, identified as a trained cadre of the banned People’s Liberation Army militant outfit, may be taken to Delhi or outside Manipur for further interrogation. The court imposed conditions on the released individuals, including a bond of Rs 50,000, restrictions on leaving Manipur without permission, cooperating with the investigation, and regular appearances before the investigation officer.
The court noted that there was no strong prima facie evidence against the accused for committing terrorist acts or prejudicial activities against the state as of now, rejecting the request for their judicial custody made by Manipur Police. The arrests had led to widespread protests and clashes between agitators and security forces in Manipur’s five valley districts.