May 13 hearing on Irom Sharmila case
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, May 09 2014 :
Even as anti-AFSPA campaigner Irom chanu Sharmila questioned her prolonged detention claiming she never attempted to commit suicide, her counsel Khaidem Mani informed that hearing on the police charge-sheet against the human rights activist will be conducted on May 13 .
Speaking to newspersons after producing Sharmila before the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Imphal East located at Lamphelpat today, advocate Mani described the police chargesheet of 'attempt to commit suicide' as a mere formality.
Posing on what ground Sharmila is being accused of attempting suicide, he said evidential support such as whether she tried to consume poison or hang is a necessity which the prosecution side is unlikely to possess.
The fact that Sharmila has been complying with the directive to appear before relevant court and has been re-arrested on the same charge suggest that false charge is being levelled against her, observed the advocate.
On the otherhand, Sharmila said if she wanted to commit suicide she could have taken the drastic step years back.
Stating that her campaign to repeal AFSPA from Manipur is to protect rights of the people from abuse by security forces, Sharmila also asked why many national figures and social activists who resorted to peaceful and democratic means of agitation to highlight their respective causes have not be put behind bars.