Manipur police arrest man over morphed social media post of government leaders

Imphal: Manipur Cyber Crime police picked up 50-year-old Laishram Mangibabu Singh at his Moirang Khunou Mamang Sabal home. The arrest happened at 11:45 pm on August 10, 2026. Officers tracked the Bishnupur district resident after spotting a morphed, derogatory image of Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh and Deputy Chief Minister Nemcha Kipgen on Facebook. The post featured an offensive Meiteilon caption.

The unit flagged the content at 8:30 pm that same evening. They seized the suspect's mobile phone and the SIM card used for the August 9 upload. Investigators brought the accused before the Imphal West Chief Judicial Magistrate on August 11. The Assistant Public Prosecutor pushed for three days of police custody. Officials aim to trace how the image was edited and if others played a role in the stunt.

The court denied the custody request. The presiding magistrate noted that the case falls under Section 79 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, a bailable provision. The judge granted bail after the accused provided a personal recognisance bond and a surety bond of Rs 50,000 each. The court ordered him to cooperate with the probe and stop all similar online activity. Manipur police officials said, "Strict legal action would be taken in such cases." The investigation into the source of the morphed material remains active.