Guwahati, 3rd October: Delhi’s Patiala House Court has extended Seminlun Gangte’s custody, a suspect in the Manipur violence case, by eight days.
Gangte was arrested in Manipur on Saturday, was brought to Delhi on a transit remand.
The NIA apprehended Seminlun Gangte on October 1, accusing him of participating in an international conspiracy to wage war against the Government of India under the guise of Manipur violence. The court initially remanded Seiminlun Gangte to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for two days on Sunday, after which he appeared before the National Investigation Agency Special Court. Following arguments from the NIA and the defendant, Special NIA Judge Sachin Gupta today extended the custody for eight days.
Moreover, the special court has ordered the agency to provide a copy of the FIR to the accused’s attorney. Furthermore, the special court has allowed the defendant’s attorney to visit him in NIA custody on alternate days.
The case alleges that leaders of terrorist organizations based in Myanmar and Bangladesh conspired to carry out a transnational attack against India. The NIA applied for a 10-day detention to conduct an investigation into the matter, but the jurisdiction was questioned during the hearing due to its association with a special act.
Subsequently, the public prosecutor stated that detention would be extended until Tuesday to allow the accused to appear before the special judge. The federal investigative agency initiated an inquiry under anti-terrorism legislation, the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), and other statutes.
The NIA initiated the case on July 19, 2023, in Delhi. An investigation revealed that militant groups based in Myanmar and Bangladesh conspired with some militant leaders in India to perpetrate acts of violence, fostering division among various ethnic groups and waging war against the Government of India.
According to the agency, terrorist leadership has provided funds to procure arms, ammunition, and other terrorist equipment from both across the border and other active terrorist outfits in the North Eastern States of India, exacerbating ethnic tensions in Manipur.
The NIA has affirmed that further investigations into the matter are ongoing.