A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Imphal has sent Manipur’s arrested separatist leader Narengbam Samarjit to 13-day police custody.

Samarjit was arrested at IGI Airport in New Delhi for allegedly declaring Manipur’s independence in London.

He was brought back to Imphal last Monday (March 29) after he was arrested in Delhi on March 25.

After reaching Imphal, the NIA produced him before the Magistrate on March 29 who remanded him to police custody till March 31.

The same day, the counsel of the accused had filed a bail plea to which the prosecution had objected.

The prosecution had urged for police remand for fifteen days to retain articles seized from the accused. As such, the court fixed April 12 to be the date when the bail application will be taken up.

The separatist leader had been residing in London along with his associate Yambem Biren, the self-proclaimed Chief Minister of the “de-jure” Government.

On March 23, the NIA had filed a chargesheet against five accused, including Samarjit, Yambem Biren, at the NIA Special Court in Manipur under Sections 120B and 420 of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 13 and 17 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.