Dr Mark Thangmang Haokip sent to police custody again
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, May 31 2022: The Court of CJM, Imphal West on Tuesday remanded Dr Mark Thangmang Haokip (37), who was arrested for making communal remarks including attempts to influence fringe elements on his Facebook page, to police custody for 5 days.

After Dr Mark was granted bail by the Court in connection with an FIR registered by Imphal PS on Monday, he was formally arrested by police for another FIR the same day and produced before the Court on Tuesday.

The IO of the case then made a prayer to the court for remanding Dr Mark to 10 days in police custody for further interrogation.

The IO also submitted a report with brief details of the case, stating that on May 5, an SI of Imphal PS made a report to the OC informing that an individual, who identified himself as the president of proscribed 'Government of The People's Democratic Republic of Kukiland', colluded with three other people to launch' an attack on the Indian government and recruit more members for the outfit.

According to the APP's submissions to the Court, during the interrogation, Dr Mark Haokip confessed to being the self styled president of the outfit and he also operated the website, www.kukigovt.com.

The main goal of this website is to spread propaganda for an independent Kuki nation.

The police also seized press release written on a letter head of the 'Government of The People's Democratic Republic of Kukiland', signed by the accused and three others.

The press release clearly stated: "...

acknowledgment of the sovereign rights of Kukis residing in the neighbouring countries and to be aware of the presence of a sovereign Kukiland" .

Dr Mark further confessed to uploading a bank account number on the website to seek financial support from the people for the outfit.

The counsel of the accused, however, argued that the posts made by the accused on the website or social media were copied from a post written by one Brigadier Sushilkumar Sharma, and there is no evidence supporting the claim that the accused had waged war on the government of India.

The accused is a human rights activist based in Delhi and he has never had a criminal record in his life.

On the other hand, various individuals/organisations made communal posts on social media platforms but none of them have been arrested till date.

The accused was targeted and arrested just for sharing his personal thoughts, the counsel surmised.

After listening to arguments of both sides, the Court re marked that the charges levelled against the accused are of serious nature.

Thus, to ensure justice is served in the case, the accused, Dr Mark is remanded in police custody for 5-days till June 4.It further rejected the bail application of the accused and ordered the IO of the case to conduct a medical check-up of the accused every 48 hours.

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