SC orders immediate release of Manipuri activist Erendro Leichombam

A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and MR Shah of the Supreme Court on Monday ordered the release of Manipuri activist Erendro Leichombam, booked under the National Security Act (NSA) for a Facebook post, on or before 5 PM today.

Though Solicitor General Tushar Mehta requested the bench to list the matter for Tuesday, the bench refused. Justice Chandrachud said, "He cannot be kept in jail even for a day. We will order his release today". Leichombam was booked for his Facebook post criticising BJP leaders for advocating cow dung and cow urine as a cure for Covid-19. He was initially arrested on May 13 on the complaint of BJP leaders. After he was granted bail by the local court on May 17, the district magistrate Imphal West District again detained him under the National Security Act.

"We are of the view that continued detention of the petitioner would be a violation of right to life and personal liberty under Article 21. We accordingly direct that the petitioner shall be released forthwith subject to interim directions of this court and subject to further orders," the bench said. The court further directed its registrar judicial to communicate the order to Manipur Central jail to ensure the release of the activist before five today.

The plea in the Supreme Court was filed by Leichombam's father, L Raghumani Singh. "Erendro, a Manipuri political activist, has been preventively detained solely to punish him for his criticism of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders for advocating cow dung and cow urine as cures for Covid," said the petition. It further argued that Leichombam's detention is a misuse of preventive detention law and attempts to stifle innocuous speech, which is otherwise constitutionally protected. The counsel for the petitioner further added that they would press for compensation in the next hearing for he has already spent 45 days in custody for an "innocuous piece of speech".