TMB Report
Imphal: In a significant development, Dhanbir Maibam, the editor of Hueiyen Lanpao newspaper, who was arrested on Saturday in Imphal, has been released on bail today. The arrest, which took place in connection with a report on the law-and-order situation in Manipur, has raised concerns about press freedom.
Maibam’s arrest followed a case registered under various sections, including 153-A/505(1)(B) 505(2)/120-B IPC & 3 (1)(C), 3(2), 5(d), 5(2), 5 (3) of the Official Secrets Act 1923. The police alleged that the news published in the vernacular daily could cause fear or alarm.
This incident marks the second time in recent months that an editor of a local daily in Imphal has faced legal consequences. On December 29 last year, Wangkhemcha Shamjai, editor-in-chief of Kangleipaki Meira, was arrested for a report that the police claimed could trigger tension and incite problems. Shamjai, a former president of the All Manipur Working Journalists’ Union (AMWJU), was released on bail after spending three days in police custody.
The headline that led to Dhanbir Maibam’s arrest was “Manipur Police Lack Gun Bullets at Moreh.” The release of Maibam on bail today has brought attention to the ongoing challenges faced by journalists in the region.
