Supreme Court suspends sentence of NSCN(M) militant convicted in 2009 Manipur killings

The Supreme Court on Monday suspended the sentence of self-styled NSCN(M) "lieutenant" Hopeson Nignshen, convicted in connection with the abduction and killing of three Manipur government officials in the state's Ukhrul district in February 2009.

A bench comprising Justice M M Sundresh and Justice P B Varale noted that Nignshen has been in jail for more than 17 years.

"We are dealing with a case where the appellant has been incarcerated for more than 17 years and therefore, he is relying only on the ground of suspension of sentence, particularly when his appeal is pending. We grant suspension of sentence on the following conditions: the applicant shall stay within the boundaries of Delhi and not leave until the appeal is disposed of," the bench said.

The counsel appearing for the Manipur government opposed the plea.

The Delhi High Court on November 20, 2019 had upheld trial court's order convicting Nignshen for kidnapping and killing three government officials in Manipur in 2009 and handed him life imprisonment.

The trial court in 2014 had awarded the jail term to Hopeson Nignshen, holding him guilty of abducting Dr Thingnam Kishan Singh and two others, and killing them after conspiring with other National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak Muivah (NSCN-IM) militants.

Nignshen, who was also held guilty of looting the deceased's belonging, was asked to pay a fine of Rs 35,000.

The case was transferred to Delhi from Manipur on the Supreme Court's direction in May 2010 after CBI had apprehended a threat to Nignshen's life and chances of unrest in the state if he was presented in a Manipur court.

According to CBI, on February 13, 2009, Nignshen and other NSCN-IM militants had abducted Kishan Singh, SDO-cum-BDO of Kasom Khullen in Manipur's Ukhrul district, and five members of his personal staff.

The agency had said that on the next day, the militants allegedly let off three of the abducted people -- Ram Singh Siro, Ramthing Singlai and Kapangkhui Jajo, who belonged to the Naga community -- while killing Kishan Singh, Y Token Singh and A Rajen Sharma.

The bodies were recovered from the banks of Taphao Kuki river near Senapati in Manipur, CBI had said.

The killings had resulted in ethnic tension between the Meities and Nagas and led to a series of bandhs in Manipur. In view of the sensitivity of the killing, the state government transferred the case to CBI which subsequently arrested Nignshen on May 29, 2009.