The Supreme Court on Wednesday shielded two academicians, belonging to the Kuki-Zo community, from any coercive action of the Manipur Police after they were booked for editing a book allegedly twisting the state’s history.
A bench, comprising of Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud and Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, issued notice and granted an interim protection against arrest for a period of three weeks.
Senior advocate Anand Grover, appearing for academicians, sought quashing of the FIR lodged under sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups) and 505 (publishing rumour) of the IPC against them.
Professor Jangkhomang Guite from Manipur University and Assistant Professor Thongkholal Haokip from Jawaharlal Nehru University edited the book titled "The Anglo-Kuki War 1917-1919", which is authored by Colonel Vijay Chenji (retd).
The FIR was lodged based on the complaint of the Federation of Haomee, an Imphal-based civil society organisation, which claimed that no Anglo-Kuki war had taken place in Manipur and the book incorrectly depicted a Kuki rebellion from 1917 to 1919.
It demanded that the book be banned "for the ends of justice and peace in the country".
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