Manipur violence: NIA court extends custody of Seiminlun Gangte for 8 days

Delhi's Patiala House Court has extended the custody of Seminlun Gangte, an accused in the Manipur violence case, by eight days.

Gangte, who was arrested in Manipur on Saturday, was transported to Delhi on transit remand.

The NIA had on October 1 arrested Seminlun Gangte, who was allegedly involved in an international conspiracy to wage war against the Government of India on the pretext of Manipur violence. 

The court remanded Seiminlun Gangte to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for two days on Sunday. After two days in NIA custody, he was brought before the National Investigation Agency Special Court.

After hearing the NIA's and the accused's representations, Special NIA Judge Sachin Gupta today prolonged the custody for eight days.

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The special court also ordered the agency to provide a copy of the FIR to the accused's attorney. The special court has also permitted his attorney to visit him in NIA custody on alternate days.

It is claimed that the leaders of terror organisations located in Myanmar and Bangladesh plotted a transnational assault against India. The NIA filed an application seeking 10 days of detention for the accused in order to conduct an investigation into the matter. The duty magistrate raised a question about jurisdiction during the hearing since it is the subject of a special act.

The public prosecutor then stated that detention would be given until Tuesday in order for the accused to appear before the special judge. The federal investigative agency has opened an inquiry under anti-terrorism legislation, the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), and other statutes.

The NIA filed the case on its own initiative on July 19, 2023, in Delhi. An investigation revealed that Myanmar and Bangladesh-based militant groups conspired with a section of militant leaders in India to commit acts of violence in order to drive a wedge between different ethnic groups and wage war against the Government of India.

According to the agency, the terror leadership has been providing funds to procure arms, ammunition, and other types of terrorist hardware that are being sourced both across the border and from other terrorist outfits active in the North Eastern States of India in order to stoke the current ethnic strife in Manipur.

The NIA stated that more investigations into the matter are underway.