Devita Devi

Imphal, June 28: Devita Devi’s family today refused to believe she was found with a militant leader in a New Delhi guesthouse, claiming that the actress had gone to the national capital for a medical check-up.

Devi’s mother, in fact, has approached the Film Forum, Manipur seeking help to get her name cleared.

Devi, one of the most popular actors of Manipuri feature films, was arrested by a joint team of Manipur police and Delhi police from a room of Sheeshmahal Guest House in South Extension along with a senior leaders of the militant Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) on Friday evening.

The arrested cadre has been identified as R.K. Raghunath, alias Nongshaba, a self-styled captain of the KYKL. The police claimed to have recovered incriminating documents.

Another police team was rushed to Delhi yesterday to help in investigations and interrogation.

The police authorities here, however, are tightlipped about the arrest and the relationship between the actor and the militant. The two are likely to be brought to Imphal on Tuesday.

The Bishnupur superintendent of police, K. Jayentakumar, who co-ordinated the operation, could not be contacted.

Refusing to believe her daughter’s connection with a rebel leader, Devita’s mother, Urikhinbam Umabati Devi, today approached the Film Forum, Manipur the apex body of the film fraternity in the state.

“Yes we have received a complaint from the mother today. She requested us to take up Devita’s case. We have not discussed the matter, but we will soon discuss it,” W. Lalitkumar, chairman of the forum, said.

The actor’s family claimed that Devita was in Delhi for a health check-up at Apollo Hospital. She had been treated at the hospital earlier.

“She is in Delhi for medical check-up and she was to return today. She is innocent and has no links with militants. We don’t believe that she was with the arrested militant,” the mother said.

The family also denied any relationship between the arrested militant and the actor.

Devita, who hails from Moirang in Bishnupur district, stays at a rented house at Palace Gate in Imphal city.

When the police visited the house for investigations, the family moved out. They are believed to be in Moirang now.

The film forum’s chairman, Lalitkumar, described the arrest as “very unfortunate” and said this could send awrong signal about the image of the film community.

“We are moving freely for shooting. This incident may harm the image of the people involved in films. But we do not really know whether she has links with any militant group or not,” the chairman said.

Led by Lalitkumar, the entire film community of Manipur spent the day today at a relay hungerstrike organised by the Save Sharmila Campaign demanding repeal of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act.

The campaign completed 200 days yesterday.

“We joined the campaign to lend our voice in the demand for scrapping of the black law,” Lalitkumar said.