KHOIROM KHOIROM BIPINCHANBIPINCHANDRA SINGH Item No. 5 DRA SINGHDate: 2026.02.12

15:52:31 +05'30'

IN THE HIGH COURT OF MANIPUR AT IMPHAL W.P.(CRL) No. 34 of 2025 Mutum Ranjan Meitei @ Lamjingba, aged about 21 years, S/o M. Deban Meitei, resident of Yairipok Chandrakhong Mamang Leikai, P.O. & P.S. Yairipok, Thoubal District, Manipur.

… Petitioner - Versus -

1. District Magistrate, Thoubal District, DC office Complex, P.O. & P.S. Thoubal, District :Thoubal, Manipur – 795138.

2. The State of Manipur represented by Commissioner/Secretary (Home), Government of Manipur, Manipur Secretariat, North block, P.O. & PS.

Imphal, District Imphal West, Manipur – 795001.

3. The Union of India represented by Secretary (Home), Govt. of India, Ministry of Home Affairs, North Block, New Delhi – 110 001.

4. The Superintendent, Manipur Central Jail, Sajiwa, P.O. Lamlong, P.S. Porompat : Imphal East, Manipur –

795114.

… Respondents B E F O R E HON’BLE THE CHIEF JUSTICE MR. M. SUNDAR HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE A. BIMOL SINGH For the petitioner : Mr. L. Shashibhushan, Senior Advocate Instructed by Md. Fakhruddin, Advocate For the respondents : Mr. Th. Vashum, Government Advocate for R-1, R-2 & R-4 Mr. Boboy Potsangbam, CGC for R-3 Date of hearing : 11.02.2026 Date of order : 11.02.2026 JUDGMENT & ORDER (O R A L)

[M. Sundar, CJ]

[1] Captioned writ petition (WP) has been filed assailing a preventive detention order dated 20.05.2025 bearing reference No. Cril. NSA Case No. 4 of 2025 made by R-1 (District Magistrate, Thoubal District). Captioned WP is a habeas corpus plea. To be noted, ‘R-1’ is an abbreviation denoting ‘first respondent’ and similar abbreviation/s will be used with regard to other respondent/s also. This preventive detention order made by R-1 shall be referred to as ‘impugned preventive detention order’, R-1 shall be referred to as ‘detaining authority’.

[2] Factual matrix in a nutshell is that the writ petitioner was arrested on 17.04.2025 and an FIR was lodged on the same day, this FIR dated 17.04.2025 bears No. 0076 and it is on the file of Thoubal Police Station in Thoubal District, Manipur qua alleged offences under Sections 17, 20 of ‘The Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (37 of 1967)’ [‘UAPA’ for the sake of brevity] and Section 5 of Arms Act, 1959 (54 of 1959). The writ petitioner was produced before jurisdictional Court i.e. Special Judge (NIA, Thoubal) and remanded to judicial custody. While the writ petitioner remained incarcerated, ‘Superintendent of police, Thoubal’ who shall be referred to as ‘Sponsoring Authority’ sent 2 (two) communications, one dated 02.05.02025 and another dated 16.05.2026 bearing reference No.

9/37/2025/SP-TBL/2493 and No. 9/37/2025/SP-TBL/2728 respectively requesting R-1 to make a detention order qua writ petitioner under the ‘National Security Act, 1980 (65 of 1980)’ [‘NSA’ for the sake of brevity]. Acting on these two communications from the sponsoring authority, R- 1 (detaining authority) made the impugned preventive detention order. Thereafter, R-1 made grounds of detention dated 23.05.2025 bearing No. Cril. NSA Case No. 4 of 2025 and this Court is informed that the grounds of detention was served on the writ petitioner/detenu on the same day (23.05.2025) in the Central Jail Sajiwa, Imphal East, Manipur - 795114 where the detenu is now lodged.

[3] To capture facts which are necessary to appreciate this order, this Court deems it appropriate to write that R-1 (detaining authority) is an officer on whom powers have been conferred by the State Government vide Section 3(3) of NSA. This means that the impugned detention order made by R-1 shall remain in force only for 12 days but post 12 days it will operate subject to approval by State Government. The State Government approved the impugned preventive detention vide an order dated 31.05.2025 bearing reference No. H- 1401/5/2025-HD.HD. This means that the impugned preventive detention order continued to operate beyond 12 days and to be noted, it continues to operate