Mumbai-based animal rights activist remanded to judicial custody

Morung Express News
Kohima | August 5 

Mumbai-based animal rights activist Hema Chowdhary, who was brought to Kohima by the Nagaland police on July 20, has been remanded to judicial custody on August 4. The accused was arrested on charges of making derogatory remarks targeting Nagaland. 

PRO of Nagaland Police Headquarters, SP (Crime) Manoj Kumar told The Morung Express that “Since police remand period has been completed, she has been allowed to undergo judicial custody as per procedure and was subsequently forwarded yesterday.”

She had undergone police remand period for 14 days. 

The question of trial does not arise now because investigation is not over, the PRO said. After chargesheet is submitted on completion of investigation, then the trial will commence. 

The PRO further stated that all SOPs laid out by the Health and Family Welfare Department for returnees coming from outside Nagaland as well as the procedure needed to followed for an accused in the court as prescribed by the Gauhati High Court have been followed. 

However, the COVID-19 test results of Chowdhary, the two police escorts and their driver could not be confirmed during the time of filing this report. 

The Cyber Crime Police Station registered a case under sections 153A/153B/505(1)/505(2) of the IPC, read with, sections 3(r)/3(s)/3(u) of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. 

In an earlier press release issued by Nagaland Police PRO, Chowdhary had posted a video on YouTube and Facebook on July 4, in which, “The said person has made derogatory statements against the Nagas conducing to public mischief and also promoting enmity between different groups of people, which is pre-judicial to maintenance of harmony.”

The Chief Judicial Magistrate, Kohima, issued a non-bailable warrant of arrest against Chowdhary. Subsequently, a Nagaland Police team was sent to Mumbai on July 15 and effected her arrest from her Oshiwara residence in the city, in coordination with the Mumbai Police on July 17. She was finally brought to Kohima on July 20.