HC seeks affidavits on Yaima ‘status’

Imphal, Nov. 16 : The Imphal bench of Gauhati High Court today directed the Union home ministry, the external affairs ministry and the Manipur government to file affidavits on the status of Sana Yaima, the chairman of United National Liberation Front (UNLF).

A division bench, comprising Justice T.N.K. Singh and Justice A.C. Upadhyai, ordered submission of the affidavits on December 6, the day the court fixed for the next hearing of the case.

The division bench also issued a notice to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), seeking a report on the status of a complaint lodged by R.K. Ongbi Ibemnungshi in connection with the disappearance of her husband.

Media reports said Indian and Bangladeshi intelligence officials arrested Sana Yaima alias R.K. Meghen from Dhaka.

The UNLF claimed in a statement that its leader was arrested from Dhaka on September 29 and brought to India.

Delhi has not offered any official reaction to the reports.

The court passed the directives following a habeas corpus petition filed by Ibemnungshi, the militant leader’s wife, on October 29, seeking a directive from the high court to the home ministry, external affairs ministry and Manipur government to produce Sana Yaima.

Ibemnungshi withdrew the habeas corpus petition on November 5 and filed a second habeas corpus the next day, this time making the NHRC one of the respondents.

The issue of Sana Yaima’s disappearance may reach Parliament when the winter session is convened later this week.

Opposition BJP MPs are preparing to raise the issue in both Houses of Parliament and make it an issue when the session begins on November 19, Salam Ibohal, the spokesperson for the party’sstate unit said.

“We have sent all the information to our party leaders in Delhi,” Ibohal said.

including the leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj. We are told that the issue will be raised in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha,” Ibohal said.
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