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SC prevents Manipur police from arresting transgender activist over FB post
Santa Khurai wrote three posts on a social networking platform alleging mismanagement of transgender welfare funds by the state social welfare department
Guwahati: The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed Manipur police not to arrest Santa Khurai, a leading transgender rights activist from the state, in connection with a case filed against her over posts on Meta (formerly Facebook).
Acting on a petition filed by Khurai last month, a division bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Dipankar Datta ordered that the arrest of the activist “shall remain stayed” while directing her to join and fully cooperate with the investigation.
“No further case be registered against the petitioner on the basis of posts made by her with regard to the alleged misappropriation of funds by the social welfare department, Manipur, meant for the welfare of the transgenders,” the order read.
Khurai, a trans woman based in Imphal, had written three posts on the social networking platform on September 1 alleging mismanagement of transgender welfare funds by the state social welfare department.
In her posts, Khurai, questioned a survey of transgenders, which was to be conducted by the social welfare department since Manipur is witnessing ethnic clashes at present and alleged that officials of the department could “share and eat up trans fund of ₹10 lakhs”.
Two days after the posts were written, a team of all-male policemen reached her home in at Khurai Thoidingjam Leikai locality of Imphal and asked about her whereabouts.
On being informed that Khurai was in Bangkok at that time, the team served a summon to her brother’s wife asking the trans activist to be present at the Porompat police station in Imphal East district on September 8.
The activist filed the petition in SC seeking quashing of the summon issued to her by the state police stating that due to widespread conflict in Manipur at present, she was apprehensive that there is threat to her life, liberty and security if she travels to the state in connection with investigation of the case.
Khurai requested the SC to direct the Manipur government to produce the complaint based on which summons have been issued to her, give her appropriate protetection as a trans woman and quash the summons issued against her.
