Former NSCN-IM cadre Hopeson Ningshen, who has spent more than 17 years in custody in connection with the abduction and murder of former Manipur SDO Dr. Thingnam Kishan Singh and two others, has been granted conditional bail by the Supreme Court while his appeal against conviction remains pending.
On September 7, a Supreme Court bench comprising Justices M.M. Sundresh and P.B. Varale suspended Ningshen’s life sentence and ordered his release on bail during the pendency of his appeal. However, the court imposed strict conditions, directing him to remain within Delhi and prohibiting him from leaving the national capital until the appeal is finally decided.
The court’s order does not amount to an acquittal. Ningshen’s conviction and life sentence remain under challenge before the Supreme Court, and the final outcome will depend on the court’s decision on his appeal.
The case dates back to February 2009, when then Sub-Divisional Officer Dr. Thingnam Kishan Singh, along with his colleagues Y. Token Singh and A. Rajen Sharma, was abducted from Manipur’s Ukhrul district. Three other abducted persons were later released, but the bodies of the three officials were recovered on February 17 near the Taphao-Touphu Kuki River in Senapati district.
The killings triggered widespread public outrage and protests across Manipur. Following the incident, the investigation was handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and the trial was later shifted to Delhi due to security concerns.
In 2014, a Special CBI Court convicted Ningshen on charges including murder, kidnapping for ransom and criminal conspiracy, sentencing him to life imprisonment. The Delhi High Court upheld the conviction in 2019.
During the recent hearing, the Supreme Court took note of Ningshen’s prolonged incarceration of more than 17 years while his appeal remained pending. While the Manipur government opposed his release citing the sensitive nature of the case, the Centre suggested that appropriate safeguards could be imposed if relief was granted.
Under the bail conditions, Ningshen will not be allowed to return to the Northeast until further orders of the court.
Although his release marks a significant development in one of Manipur’s most widely discussed criminal cases, the legal proceedings are far from over. The Supreme Court’s final verdict on his appeal will determine whether his conviction and life sentence are upheld or set aside.