Shivangi Prakash-
Supreme Court ordered the release of Erendro Leichombam, a Manipur-based political activist who was arrested under the strict National Security Act (NSA) over a Facebook post claiming that cow dung or cow urine will not cure COVID.
After hearing Advocate Shadan Farasat’s arguments, a bench led by Justice DY Chandrachud has directed that he should be released before 5 p.m. today on an Rs. 1000/- bond.
Erendro’s father, L Raghumani Singh, filed the petition, arguing that this wasn’t a case of NSA and was invoked just to reject Erendro’s bail and that the invocation was made with malice in law.
Erendro was initially arrested on 13.05.2021 for his Facebook post of 13.05.2021 where he had stated that: “The cure for Corona is not cow dung & cow urine. The cure is science & common sense Professor ji RIP”.
The comment, delivered in the context of the death of Manipur BJP President Prof. Tikendra Singh, was intended as a rebuke to BJP officials who have advocated for the use of cow-urine and cow-dung as COVID-19 remedies.
A few local BJP leaders were outraged by the Facebook post and filed a complaint, which resulted in his detention.
The District Magistrate of Imphal West District held him under the strict National Security Act 1980 (NSA), which is a preventative detention law, on 17.05.2021, the day he was granted release by the local court.
The petitioner claims that this is a classic example of legal malice, in which the rule of preventative detention has been exploited to silence political voices that the ruling party in Manipur does not agree with, rather than for any legitimate reason.
According to the petitioner, this is not a cause for which the NSA allows preventive detention, making the order malafide and liable to be overturned.
As a result, Mr Raghumani has filed a contempt petition with the Supreme Court, alleging that the District Magistrate, Imphal West District, has violated the Supreme Court’s order dated 30.04.2021.
Also read: Manipur HC: Depriving Livelihood by linking Employment with getting Vaccination is Illegal