Imphal, July 23 (TIWN) Manipur activist Wangkhemcha Wangthoi was released from the central jail following a High Court order on Friday, five days after his associate Erendro Leichombam was freed on the Supreme Court's orders. The duo had been detained under the National Security Act for their Facebook posts criticising BJP leaders for advocating cow dung and cow urine as cure for Covid-19.

Officials said that the division bench of the Manipur High Court comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kumar and Justice K.H. Nobin Singh directed the release of Wangkhemcha Wangthoi, alias Kishorchandra, 41, from Manipur Central Jail at Sajiwa as he was jailed under the NSA for the Facebook posts.

The Manipur High Court's interim direction to the state government comes in the wake of a petition filed by the arrested journalist's wife after the release of activist Erendro Leichombam following a recent Supreme Court order.  Both Kishorchandra and Erendro Leichombam were arrested in May by the Manipur Police over separate FIRs filed by Manipur BJP against their Facebook posts. Leichombam was released on July 19 following a Supreme Court order while Wangkhemch continues to be jailed at Imphal central jail.  Hearing the petition filed by Wangkhemch's wife, a bench of Chief Justice Sanjay Kumar and Justice Kh Nobin Singh ruled that the arrest of the journalist "under Section 3(2) of the National Security Act, 1980, shall stand suspended till the next date of hearing". 

Citing the Supreme Court's order, the bench said, "On the face of it, we find no distinction or difference between the case of the petitioner's husband and that of Erendro Leichombam. Both of them put up similar Facebook posts, critical of the utility of cow dung and cow urine in treating coronavirus. As they stand identically situated, we are of the opinion that the continued incarceration of the petitioner's husband would be as much a violation of Article 21 of the Constitution, as it was in the case of Erendro Leichombam."