Gauhati High Court grants bail to Kuki Inpi Tengnoupal spokesperson Thangminlen Mate

The Gauhati High Court on Thursday granted bail to Thangminlen Mate, a spokesperson of the Kuki Inpi Tengnoupal , in a case registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) by the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

The court ordered release of Thangminlen Mate on a bail bond of ₹2 lakh with one surety of the like amount, subject to conditions that he report to the NIA when required, and not influence witnesses or tamper with evidence.

The case relates to the killing of two Manipur Police Commandos Manipur W. Somorjit Meitei and Takhellambam Seileshor in Moreh under Tengnoupal district on January 17, 2024 during an attack at India Reserve Battalion post and Ima Kondong Lairembi after which separate FIRs were registered for the two deaths.

In a judgment delivered on Thursday, a Bench of Justices Michael Zothankhuma and Anjan Moni Kalita noted that the NIA had registered two different FIRs over the same incident in which both police personnel were killed near Moreh Bazar on January 17, 2024.

The court stated that Thangminlen Mate was arrested in both cases, with the arrest memo accusing him of conspiring and planning the attack, even while recording that the role of one Waikhom Rohit, a Meitei person, had been established in the incident.

Granting bail, the court observed that the NIA had not mentioned Waikhom Rohit’s role in the FIRs. The FIRs mentioned the role of “unknown Kuki militants”.

The court said, “It is highly unlikely that the petitioner, a Kuki, would plan the attack for or with Waikhom Rohit, a Meitei.” The High Court noted that a “careful perusal” of both FIRs showed the deaths had occurred in the same exchange of fire at Moreh Bazar around 5:30 in the evening.

When the involvement of Waikhom Rohit is said to be established in the killing of the two Manipur Police Commandos in Moreh on January 17, 2024, it is not understood as to how the petitioner, who is of the rival community, could be said to be involved in the killing of any one of the above two police personnel, the court added.

The court added that there is no reasonable ground for believing that the accusation made against the petitioner Thangminlen is prima facie true, as it is not the case of the NIA that the Kuki and Meitei elements had together attacked the IRB post or the Moreh Bazar on January 17, 2024