Lawyers bat for Sotinkumar
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 26 2019: Strongly condemning the arrest/rearrest of CPI Manipur State secretary L Sotinkumar, the Indian Association of Lawyers Manipur Chapter has demanded the State Government to release him immediately without any condition and to respect the fundamental rights of the people.

A statement issued by the association narrated that Sotinkumar was arrested by police on December 20 on the charge that he had campaigned, motivated, and instigated the public to observe bandh/blockade the previous day, December 19, in protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) 2019.Pointing out that various charges were levelled against Sotinkumar, the association alleged that it only showed that the police had been pressured by the higher authorities to add the charges against him and even then, neither Sotinkumar nor his family were informed about the full details of the penal provisions invoked at the time of his arrest.

Then on December 21, the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Imphal West, ordered the release of Sotinkumar but he was again arrested by police and handed over to Nambol PS, the association narrated adding that at that time, Nambol PS never informed the CJM Imphal West that a case was being registered against Sotinkumar and he needed to be arrested.

Stating that Sotinkumar is still in jail, the association explained that there was not a single instance of untoward incidents occurring during the general strike which was called by the Left parties on December 19.Sotinkumar was arrested and re-arrested on different charges including sedition charge, but he did not call or appeal for any bandhs/blockages etc on the day of general strike but instead he had made an appeal to the public to stage the protest peacefully as admissible under the law of the land, against CAA.

Further pointing out that there is no concrete evidence to show that Sotinkumar was involved in any of the activities which require invoking sedition charges, it reasoned that the act of the State police is not at all fair.

Under the Constitution, every citizen of the country is entitled the right to freedom of expression and every effort of the Government to restrain the people from exercising such fundamental rights is a glaring example of repressive measures and assault on the Constitution of the country.

Alleging that this is against the democratic setup of the country, the association demanded the immediate and unconditional release of L Sotinkumar.

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