‘Bail move a collective decision of the ACAUT and other NGOs’
Morung Express News
imapur | December 16
ACAUT leaders – Joel Nillo Naga, Simon Kelio and Hukiye Yepthomi were released from judicial custody on December 16. The three of them were released from the District Jail, Dimapur at around 2:15 pm today after the ACAUT and other frontline NGOs moved bail at the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Dimapur on December 15.
At a press conference following the release, the ACAUT maintained that the move for bail was a collective decision of the ACAUT and other NGOs and not that of the 3 leaders.
“The principled stand taken by our three ACAUT members was that ‘We have committed no mistake. We are here (prison) for no reason and we must be released (unconditionally)’,” said ACAUT Advisor K. Khekiye Sema. Appreciating their “principled stand,” Khekiye added that it was felt that the 3 leaders have made their point clear and it was decided that they be freed to further strengthen the movement against corruption.
ACAUT member, Dr. Khekugha Muru clarified that the ACAUT at no point of the stalemate tried to negotiate with RZ Lotha to withdraw the FIR the latter filed.
Asked what would be the next step, Khekiye replied that the ACAUT will resort to legal recourse. Stating that PIL will be filed against the Chief Minister TR Zeliang, Nirmal Jain, Tinku Sethi and RZ Lotha, he added, “But that does not mean we are writing off demonstrating on the street.”
Defending the action of December 9, he said that the ACAUT and “colony representatives” as responsible citizens reported the matter to the police. “ACAUT did not lock up the godown. It was the police who sealed it. It is the duty of every citizen to report acts of crime.”
Reiterating that offenders are being let scot-free, he said that the “false statement” that is being propagated by the government will not be sustainable in a court of law and “we shall prove it.” According to him, once the people involved in siphoning of PDS items has been brought to justice “a lot of heads are going to roll.”
“The battle has just begun. We’ll ensure that it gets into an all out war against corruption,” said Joel Nillo Naga. While appealing the people for patience and support, he said that they could have applied for bail but did not all for a good cause.
According to Simon Kelio, the jail inmates as well as the guards were very supportive and appreciative of the stand they took. “They said they were in prison for crime but to them we were in for a good a cause.”
Meanwhile, the ACAUT citing reliable reports stated that Tinku Sethi and Nirmal Jain named in the FIR filed by the ACAUT have applied for Anticipatory Bail.
