NEW DELHI, 12 Apr: The Supreme Court has refused to entertain a plea moved by a transgender activist seeking directions to quash the FIRs registered against her for fasting until death to protest against ethnic clashes in Manipur.
A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, however, granted liberty to the activist, Malem Thongam, to approach the Manipur High Court for the redressal of her grievances.
“The petitioner would be at liberty to move the high court of Manipur in the exercise of its jurisdiction under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973. Hence, we are not inclined to entertain a petition under Article 32 of the Constitution of India,” the bench, also comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, said.
Thongam began her hunger strike in Delhi University on 22 February. She left Delhi for Manipur on 27 February, where she continued her hunger strike at Imphal’s Kangla western gate.
The Manipur Police arrested Thongam on 2 March on charges of attempt to die by suicide and promoting enmity between groups, but released her on 5 March. A day later, she was arrested again on charges of protesting in public. (PTI)