Adopting a soft stand towards Irom Sharmila, the Manipuri human rights activist who has been on fast-unto-death for about seven years demanding the repeal of Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA), a city court has exempted her from attending trial in the case of attempted suicide here.Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate A K Kuhar has said that the court would not seek Sharmila’s personal appearance in the trial till it decides whether to frame criminal charges against her. The court’s direction came in a recent hearing when the 37-year-old activist’s counsel, Anubha Rastogi told the magistrate that she was at present admitted in a hospital attached to the prison at Imphal and was not in a condition to travel.The court, which had earlier issued a production warrant against her, was also informed by the counsel that Sharmila was still on her hunger strike against the anti-terror law in Manipur.Taking a lenient view of the the case, the Magistrate said, “Keeping in view the facts regarding the hospitalisation of the accused in Imphal, I do not consider it necessary to insist on her personal appearance in this case till the court comes to a conclusion whether to frame charge against her or not.”The court then also issued directives to communicate to the jail superintendent at Imphal that Sharmila was not to be detained in the case of attempted suicide lodged in the national capital and that she was on bail. Sharmila was brought to Delhi in May, last year following a production warrant by the court and was granted bail after a hearing. The activist, who faces prosecution for attempting to commit suicide, had then told the court that it was her way of protesting against a law (AFSPA), which empowered armed forces to violate human rights blatantly.The court would not seek Sharmila’s personal appearance in the trial till it decides whether to frame criminal charges against herA K Kuhar Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate
