Manipur: Court grants bail to six DESAM members

IMPHAL, June 8, 2018: The chief judicial magistrate, Imphal East on Thursday has granted bail to the six arrested members of Democratic Students Alliance of Manipur (DESAM) after they furnished a PR bone of Rs. 10,000 each.

Thirty-one volunteers of DESAM were detained last Tuesday when they tried to storm the chief minister's bungalow as a 'mass court arrest' agitation against the alleged harassment of their family members in the process of searching for DESAM volunteers and leaders.

The student body had vandalised the administrative block of the sports university as the government failed to fulfil their demand of opening departments of sports journalism, sports management, sports performance analysis in the state and at the possibility of shifting some courses of sports under National Sports University to Lucknow.

The six members of the student body including their president, S. Akash and vice-president, N. Edition, who were among the detained volunteers were arrested in connection with a case filed by NSUS registrar, K. Radhakumar stating that on June 1,unknown persons damaged office property and equipment of the National Sports University.

The investigation officer (IO) of the case submitted before the court that during interrogation the six accused persons flatly denied the charge levelled against them, which is punishable under section 147/148/447/511 IPC and 3 PODPP Act.

He further stated that they were involved in the offence but there is no concrete evidence to prove the charges levelled against them.

The court has thus given bail to the six accused persons but did not discharge the accused persons from the liability of the case.

A meeting was held on Thursday with DESAM representatives and chief minister, N. Biren where they resolved that any concern or issues shall be brought to the government for peaceful resolution by involving all stakeholders.

Later in the afternoon a press meet was held at DESAM office at Sagolband Moirang Leirak during which DESAM urged to cancel the walk-in interview of NSU.

Stating that the democratic agitation will continue until the state fulfilled the demands, he said the union ministry of sports and youth affairs should give DESAM his assurance.

TNT News with inputs from Imphal Free Press

Image Courtesy: Imphal Free Press