The Delhi High Court has denied bail to Moirangthem Anand Singh, who was charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for allegedly looting weapons from a State armoury amid the ethnic conflict between the Meitei and Kuki communities in Manipur.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) charged Singh under Sections 18, 23, and 39 of the UAPA, alleging that he was an active member of the People Liberation Army (PLA), a banned terrorist organization.

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According to the prosecution, Singh was caught wearing a camouflage uniform, impersonating a police officer, and found in possession of weapons looted from State armouries.

A division bench of Justice Prathiba M. Singh and Justice Amit Sharma upheld the Special NIA Court’s decision to deny bail, citing the potential for flight risk, witness tampering, and a threat to law and order.

Background of the Case

The case stems from the 2023 Manipur ethnic violence, during which mobs looted thousands of weapons from government armouries. Multiple FIRs were filed against various individuals, including the accused.

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The incident involving Singh is linked to FIR No. 54(05)2023, which was initially registered by the Manipur State Police for looting from the Manipur Police Training College (MPTC) at Pangei. Later, the case was taken over by the CBI and registered as RC/6(S)/2023/CBI/SCB/Kolkata.

Meanwhile, another FIR (RC-23/2023/NIA/DLI) was filed by the NIA on July 19, 2023, alleging that Myanmar-based terror groups were exploiting the ethnic unrest in Manipur to wage war against India.

Quote from NIA FIR:
"Credible inputs indicate a transnational conspiracy by Myanmar-based terror outfits to exploit the Manipur conflict, incite violence, and execute terrorist attacks against India."

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On September 6, 2023, amid curfew restrictions under Section 144 of Cr.P.C., a Special Commando Unit of Manipur Police was deployed for frisking and checking vehicles at Kongba Wangkhei Road.

During this operation, the police intercepted a white Mahindra Bolero (Regn. No. MN-06LB-6905) carrying five individuals, including the accused. They were found wearing camouflaged uniforms resembling Manipur Police Commandos and in possession of:

• 1 INSAS Rifle (with 4 magazines & 78 live rounds)
• 1 SLR Rifle (with 3 magazines & 50 live rounds)
• 2 .303 Rifles (with magazines containing 5 live rounds each)

Police records later confirmed that these weapons were among the 4,000+ weapons looted from various police stations and armouries in Manipur.

Following their arrest on September 17, 2023, a 48-hour bandh (shutdown protest) was called by local groups, demanding their release.

Quote from the Court:
"The protests and attacks on police stations following the arrest indicate the accused's influence over local communities. This poses a serious law and order concern."

Singh’s bail application was rejected by the Special NIA Court in Delhi on August 24, 2024. He appealed to the Delhi High Court, which upheld the rejection, citing:

1. Strong Evidence of Offense
   • Singh was caught red-handed with looted weapons and in disguise as a police officer.
   • He has prior criminal records, including links to PLA, an organization banned under the UAPA.
2. Threat to Law and Order
   • His arrest led to violent protests, with mobs storming police stations to demand his release.
   • The Court feared that granting bail could trigger further unrest in Manipur.
3. Flight Risk & Influence over Witnesses
   • The Court observed that Singh enjoys strong local support, increasing the risk of witness tampering.
   • Authorities were concerned that he might flee or resume activities if released.

Quote from the Judgment:
"The accused enjoys substantial local support. Releasing him on bail could lead to further deterioration of law and order."

Singh has been arrested multiple times since 1997 for links to banned outfits. His criminal record includes:

• 1997 – Arrested under UAPA for being a PLA member.
• 2001 – Arrested again under UAPA.
• 2004-2009 – Multiple arrests for links with PLA.
• 2010 – Arrested for being a member of Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP), another banned outfit.

The Delhi High Court ruled that there was sufficient material evidence to believe the accused played a role in an organized terror conspiracy.

The Court found:

• Singh was part of an organized effort to arm ethnic militias in Manipur.
• He had direct links to insurgent groups, trained local youth in weapons handling, and mobilized armed groups.
• The weapons found with him matched those looted from the police armouries.

Considering these factors, the bail was denied, and Singh remains in judicial custody in Central Jail, Kamrup, Assam.

Quote from the Judgment:
"Given the volatile situation in Manipur and the accused’s role in exacerbating tensions, releasing him on bail is not in the interest of justice."

Case title: Moirangthem Anand Singh vs. NIA (CRL.A. 918/2024)