New Delhi: The Delhi High Court Monday dismissed a Manipur student activist’s plea challenging his arrest and transit remand here in a sedition case against him for allegedly making remarks over the controversial Citizenship Bill on social media.
Justice Sunil Gaur said prima facie it appeared that Veewon Thokchom’s act attempted to bring hatred and incite disaffection to the government established by law. The contentious Citizenship (amendment) Bill was cleared by the LS January 8 but it is set to lapse June 3 as it was not tabled in the Rajya Sabha during the Budget Session after which the Rajya Sabha House was adjourned sine die February 13.
Thokchom, former president of Manipur Students’ Association, Delhi, was arrested by the Manipur police in Delhi February 15 and was produced before a magistrate here February 16 who granted five days transit remand till Tuesday.
The Manipur police had taken his transit remand to produce him before the concerned court in Imphal where the FIR was lodged against him. Thokchom, a civil services aspirant, filed the petition through his brother seeking quashing of the transit remand claiming it to be defective and without application of mind.
The HC, however, said it found that the remand order was not opposed by the ‘remand advocate’, who appeared on behalf the activist before the trial court, and the memo of arrest was offered to be given to his sister.
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