The Manipur High Court has revoked the bail granted to Mark T. Haokip, a leader of the International Human Rights Association (IHRA), in connection with a sedition case. The decision, made by a division bench comprising Chief Justice A.S. Bopanna and Justice M.V. Muralidaran, was announced following a review of the earlier order that granted bail to Haokip.
The court’s decision comes after a petition filed by the state government, challenging the bail order issued by the Session Court in Churachandpur. The state government argued that Haokip’s release on bail could potentially disrupt public order and peace, given the seriousness of the charges against him.
Haokip was initially arrested on May 24, 2022, on charges of sedition and promoting enmity between different groups. The charges are related to social media posts he allegedly made, which were deemed to incite communal tensions in Manipur.
The High Court, upon reviewing the case, determined that the Sessions Court had not sufficiently considered the gravity of the charges when granting bail. Consequently, the High Court overturned the previous bail order, mandating that Haokip be taken back into custody.
This ruling underscores the judiciary’s stance on matters of public order and the serious nature of sedition charges.
