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The Supreme Court today(September 7) suspended the sentence of Hopeson Ningshen, a former self-styled Lieutenant Colonel of the Naga insurgent group National Socialist Council-Isak Muivah of Nagaland (IM). Ningshen was sentenced to life imprisonment for the 2009 abduction and murder of three government officials in Manipur.

A bench comprising Justice MM Sundresh and Justice PB Varale passed the order granting him bail on the condition that he can't leave Delhi during the pendency of his appeal. Previously, the bench had asked the CBI to take instructions on whether his sentence can be suspended in light of prolonged incarceration and on the condition that Ningshen will not leave Delhi. 

Today, the Manipur government opposed the plea, stating that the case involves sensitivity. However, the Court granted conditional suspension of sentence, weighing his prolonged incarceration of more than 17 years. 

It ordered: "Leave granted. We have adjourned the matter on a quite a few occasions taking note of the sensitivity involved. On suggestion made by the counsel for the appellant that conditional grant of suspension of sentence may be granted, we directed the respondent to take instructions. While counsel for the respondent has expressed apprehension based upon instructions, learned ASG said that if the Court is considering grant of suspension, adequate safeguards may be imposed. 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." 

Ningshen was convicted of killing Kasom Khullen Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) Dr. Thingnam Kishan Singh and two subordinate staff members (Yumnam Token and Aribam Rajen). All cases were transferred from Manipur to Delhi after considering the communal tension and the real possibility of a physical attack on the appellant in 2010.

He was convicted by a Special CBI Court in 2014, and upheld by the Delhi High Court on November 20, 2019.

Case Details: HOPESON NINGSHEN v CENTRAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION|Criminal Appeal No(s). 455/2020



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