Imphal: Hemantakumar Ningomba, the Editor of Sanaleibak daily, was questioned by Manipur police for allegedly making defamatory comments against the “war on drugs” launched by the Biren Singh government on Wednesday.
Hemantakumar was picked up from his residence at Khongman Okram Chuthek, Imphal East, at around 7.30 a.m. by a team of Iribung Police Station and questioned for several hours over his alleged defamatory comments in a panel discussion on a local TV channel, a highly confirmed source told The North East Affairs.
No charges have been made against him, but the journalist was reportedly told that his statement in the TV discussion had made an impression on the public that the government was doing nothing against the drug menace in the state.
The journalist was later released at around 11 a.m.
Meanwhile, the All Manipur Working Journalists’ Union and Editors’ Guild, Manipur, strongly condemned the manner in which he was picked up by a police team of Iribung Police Station.
A joint statement said, “Hemantakumar is a respected editor and is not an absconder, and the manner in which he was picked up for his statement in a panel discussion on local TV channels affects his dignity and stature in society. The concerned officers could have simply invited him for a discussion during office hours as no case has been registered against him, and he was set free after some hours.”
The meeting also agreed to bring the matter before the state government to ensure that such incidents do not happen again. If such avoidable incidents happen again, the journalist fraternity will not take it lying down, and all efforts to safeguard the journalists of the state will be taken including legal action.
