Supreme Court stays FIR against Manipur MLA

Our Correspondent
Imphal, Dec. 15 (EMN): The Supreme Court of India stayed the FIR (First Information Report) filed against Manipur Congress MLA K Meghachandra Singh for allegedly threatening to suspend a policeman during Lok Sabha elections in 2019.

A division bench of the apex court passed a stay order in this regard on Tuesday after MLA Meghachandra filed a special leave petition before the court last month for quashing the FIR.

In his FIR filed at the Thoubal Dam Police station, Head constable G Gaipuilin of Noney police station, alleged that the MLA intimidated him and threatened to suspend him while he was on election duty during the parliamentary elections in April,2019.

The incident allegedly took place at Nongpok Keithelmanbi primary school and the video of which went viral on social media.

Meanwhile, MLA Meghachandra who represents Wangkhem assembly constituency in Thoubal district welcomed the Supreme Court ruling during a press conference here on Tuesday.

Recalling the incident, the MLA Meghachandra said that he went to Nongpok Keithelmanbi polling station upon getting information of denying entry to Congress agents inside the polling station and denying Congress supporters to cast their votes.

During the visit, Meghachandra who is also the working president of Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee, said that he simply warned the policeman of reporting to the Election Commission for not performing his duty.

One can easily imagine how a journalist or common people could suffer under such a situation if they can harass a legislator like this, he said.

These situations raise the question if the state is still under a democratic government, he said while urging the authorities concerned to make the election free and fair.