Thounaojam Brinda

Additional Superintendent of Police

Manipur

HRDA has issued an urgent appeal to the National Human Rights Commission of India on July 26, 2020 regarding misuse of law, defamation and threats to life of whistle-blower Ms. Thounaojam Brinda and seeking intervention under Section 12(b) of the Protection of Human Rights Act. Ms. Brinda is the Additional Superintendent of Police, Narcotics and Affairs of Border (NAB), Government of Manipur. She is also a recipient of the Gallantry Medal and the Chief Minister’s Commendation Certificate.

Ms. Brinda was pressured to let off an arrested drug smuggler by Manipur Chief Minister (CM) Mr. N Biren Singh, his wife Olice, Director General of Police (DGP) Mr. LM Khaute, Superintendent of Police (SP) of Imphal West Mr. Themthing Ngashangva, and Manipur BJP’s Vice President Mr. Asnikumar Singh. The drug smuggler was granted bail by the court on May 23, 2020, due to high-level intervention, and Ms.Brinda criticised this on her social media page on May 26, 2020. Following this, she was charged with contempt of court by the Manipur High Court for her “offensive” remarks for undermining and criticising the judiciary. On June 2, 2020, Ms. Brinda filed an application with the Registrar General of Manipur High Court explaining the above-mentioned events.

Manipur CM Mr. N Biren Singh filed a defamation case against Ms. Brinda and 11 newspaper editors and publishers on July 23, 2020. Ms.Brinda also received an order from Mr. Y Samorjit Singh, Civil Judge, Senior Division, Imphal East, barring her from making any unsubstantiated and ex-facie statements regarding the CM either orally or by writing articles against him until further order.