Manipur Court grants bail to student activist Thokchom Veewon in sedition case

A day after the Delhi High Court refused to set aside the transit remand order, Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Imphal East has granted bail to Manipur Student Activist Thokchom Veewon..Veewon, who is former President of the Manipur’s Student Association Delhi, was arrested by a Joint Team of Manipur Police and Delhi Police on February 16 pursuant to an FIR registered in Imphal over critical remarks made by him on Facebook about the Citizenship Bill..The FIR booked Veewon for the offence of sedition under Section 124A of Indian Penal Code, 1860 and promoting enmity between two groups under Section 153A IPC. After being arrested from his house in Delhi, Veewon was taken to Saket Court. While granting the transit remand, the Magistrate had directed Manipur Police to produce Veewon before the appropriate Court on or before February 19..Observing that the grant of police custody cannot be conducted in a routine manner and remand prayer can be allowed if there exists a well-founded accusation for commission of offence, the Manipur Court stated that the contents of the Facebook post could not be stated to bring hatred or contempt, or excite disaffection towards the Government established by law..“At most, the accused mentions the incident of burning the assembly with approval, but I do not find any attempt or incitement to commit violence. After consideration of the material on record, I do not find the facebook post as mentioned above to be prima facie seditious”, the Court said..The Court further observed that apart from uploading the facebook post, Veewon was not accused of committing any other act..It thus held,.“After consideration of the materials on record, i do not find the Facebook post to be prima facie seditious..For the reasons stated above, I do not find sufficient grounds for allowing the remand prayer. Accused is granted bail on his furnishing PR bond of Rs 30,000/- and surety of the like amount…”.Read the order: