Bidhan Bikash Chakma v. State of Manipur

In 2025, Bidhan Bikash Chakma, a member of the Chakma ethnic minority, was convicted by a special National Investigation Agency court in Manipur under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for alleged logistical support and funding of a banned insurgent group. Arrested by security forces, Chakma claimed the confession was extracted under torture. His appeal to the Manipur High Court challenged the reliability of digital evidence and witness testimonies, highlighting alleged custodial violations. The case became a flashpoint for ethnic minority rights in India's northeast, scrutinizing the application of stringent anti-terror laws against indigenous communities amidst a charged atmosphere of counter-insurgency operations.

The Manipur High Court upheld the conviction but commuted the death sentence to life imprisonment, citing procedural lapses in the interrogation and treatment of the accused.

Whether the conviction was based on credible and lawfully obtained evidence, and whether the application of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act violated the fair trial rights of a defendant from a marginalized ethnic minority.

The verdict intensified debates on the misuse of anti-terror laws against ethnic minorities in northeastern India, prompting human rights organizations to demand stronger safeguards against torture and judicial reforms to ensure fair trials for indigenous communities.