Imphal (Manipur), June 25 : Two journalists, associated with the local media in Manipur, were suspended on Saturday by the All Manipur Working Journalists Union (AMWJU) after they were arrested on Friday following their alleged links with the militant outfits.
A court on Saturday sent the arrested individuals to police remand for seven days.
AMWJU General Secretary Khwairakpam Naoba in an order said that the two journalists — Bijoy Kakchingtabam, 54 and Leimapokpam Shanjitkumar, 41 were suspended for committing activities which lowers the dignity of the profession of journalism in general.
A police officer said both were arrested from Bishnupur Bazar when they were trying to recruit cadres for the banned extremists outfit United National Liberation Front from Bishnupur district, and send them to Myanmar for training.
Three mobile phones and one car were seized from their possession.
Police took the action after receiving inputs from the National Investigation Agency.
Meanwhile , the banned UNLF has rubbished the version of the police as reported by the news media on the arrest of Bijoy Kakchingtabam of Poknapham and Leimapokpam Shanjitkumar of Eikhoigee Panthung. The outfit’s publicity deputy secretary M Shak-hen in a press statement said that the outfit has no links whatsoever with the arrested journalists and that the UNLF at no point in time assigned any works to the two journalists for recruiting new cadres for the group.
UNLF said that the arrest of Bijoy Kakchingtabam of Poknapham and Leimapokpam Shanjitkumar is part of the continuous attempts by police and IOF to apprehend innocent people by falsely accusing them of having links with armed outfits.
All Manipur Working Journalist Union on Saturday suspended its two members — Bijoy Kakchingtabam of Poknapham and Leimapokpam Shanjitkumar of Eikhoigee Panthung, who were arrested for their alleged link with proscribed United National Liberation Front (UNLF).
According to an office memorandum bearing the signature of AMWJU general secretary Khwairakpam Naoba, they have been suspended for a year with immediate effect as per the resolution of the Standing Committee meeting held on 25th June 2022.
“They have been placed under suspension for committing activities which lowers the dignity of the journalism profession in general and AMWJU in particular. During the period of suspension, they lose all rights and privileges of being a member of AMWJU,” it added.
