The Delhi High Court has refused to grant bail to Moirangthem Anand Singh, who was arrested for his alleged involvement with Myanmar-based rebel groups and accused of conspiring to wage war against India amid the ethnic unrest in Manipur. The decision was made by a bench comprising Justices Prathiba M Singh and Amit Sharma, citing significant concerns over national security and public order.
The court highlighted that releasing Singh could pose a flight risk, potentially influence witnesses, and exacerbate the law and order situation in Manipur. “Considering the volatile situation that exists in Manipur and the circumstances that had earlier led to his release on bail, including the protests, it can clearly be said that enlarging the appellant on bail would not only entail flight risk but also the possibility of witnesses being influenced in the present case as also deterioration of law and order,” the bench noted.
Singh was arrested in September 2023 by the Manipur Police along with four others for allegedly possessing weapons looted from a police armory. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) later took over the case, framing it as a “transnational conspiracy” by terror groups based in Myanmar. These groups were reportedly attempting to exploit the ethnic tensions in Manipur to recruit cadres and sympathizers, collect arms, and orchestrate attacks on security forces and ethnic groups.
The High Court emphasized the seriousness of the allegations against Singh, which it described as having “far-reaching implications for public order and national security.” The court found that the NIA had established a prima facie case against him, backed by substantial material evidence of his involvement in the alleged offenses.
Further complicating Singh’s plea for bail were the events following his arrest, which the court noted demonstrated his significant influence in the region. “The manner in which such a serious law and order situation was created seeking his release itself shows the power he wields in the area. The propensity of such situations being created, i.e., attacks on police stations, pressure on local police officials, pressure on public prosecutors, pressure on the court, etc., is a cause for serious concern,” the court stated.
