SC orders immediate release of Manipur activist arrested over FB post saying 'cow dung won't cure Covid'

The Supreme Court has ordered the immediate release of Manipur activist Erendro Leichombam who was arrested under the National Security Act (NSA) over the controversial Facebook post that said ‘cow dung and cow urine’ don’t cure Covid.

Leichombam (40) was arrested along with a local journalist, Kishorechandra Wangkhem (41) from their houses on May 13 based on an FIR lodged by Manipur state BJP vice-president Usham Deban and general secretary P Premananda Meetei.

While condoling the death of state BJP president S Tikendra Singh, who succumbed to the virus on the evening of May 13, the duo had said in their Facebook posts that cow urine and cow dung were no cures for Covid-19.

During the hearing of the case, Justice DY Chandrachud said, "We can't allow detention of this person even for a day."

Wangkhem and Leichombam were arrested by the Manipur police under Section 153-A and 505(b)(2) of IPC and also 295-A, 503, 504 and 34 of IPC.

Leichombam, who is the convenor of a Manipur-based political party, People’s Resurgence and Justice Alliance, was charged with sedition following his controversial Facebook post in July last year.

Earlier in 2018, the NSA was invoked against Wangkhem for criticising Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a video posted on Facebook. He walked out of jail in April 2019.

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