Former Editor cleared of sedition charge
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Newmai News Network
Imphal, June 24 2014:
Former journalist R.K.Ranendrajit has been cleared from a 17-year old sedition case today.
In the final hearing of the case, A Guneshwor Sharma, Session Judge, Imphal East pronounced, "It is ordered that the accused R.K Ranendrajit Singh, editor of The Freedom Manipur is hereby discharged from the accusation of committing the offence of sedition punishable under Section 124/A-IPC " .
After hearing from both sides, the Session Judge said, "In the foregoing observation and case lodged it is concluded that no criminal intention of the accused R.K Ranendrajit Singh can be found out or committing the offence of sedition against the state of Manipur or the Union of India.
It is also held that the prima facie case for the offence of sedition cannot be established as any instance of causing of disaffection, hatred and contempt against the government are not found on record of the case.
It is also obvious that Section 124/ A-IPC cannot be attracted to the opinion expressed by the accused in the editorial column of the local English daily The Freedom Manipur in the September 12, 1997 issue as he was making a fair criticism of the government policy and action very strongly....The mandatory sanction from the competent authorities under Section 196(1) CrPC was not obtained for proceeding against the accused for the offence punishable under Section 124/A-IPC" .
It can be recalled here that the former journalist had appeared before a court in Imphal May 30 for his editorials written some 17 years ago in his newspaper based in Imphal.
The government accused the former journalist that his editorials "are seditious, inflammatory in language with a calculated design to excite feelings of disaffection..." .
The former journalist has also been charged that the editorials he wrote 17 years ago "promote feelings of contempt, enmity and hatred among the general public and different communities" .
On September 12, 1997, R.K.Ranendrajit, the editor of Imphal based English daily 'Freedom' had an editorial entitled 'Eclipse Month'.
Reacting to that editorial, an FIR was lodged against the editor by the government.
However, R.K Ranendrajit took the anticipatory bail then.
Later, sometimes in the month of April/May the following year a charge-sheet against R.K Ranendrajit was filed.