IMPHAL, Jan 9 � The first class Judicial Magistrate Court here has deferred hearing of charges in the Irom Chanu Sharmila�s case under IPC 309 to January 22, sources said.
It may be mentioned that the Centre had recently decided to decriminalise �attempt to suicide� by deleting Section 309 of IPC from the statute book. Under the section 309, a suicide bid is punishable with imprisonment up to one year, or with fine, or both.
Sharmila has been force-fed since she began her fast-unto-death on November 4, 2000 seeking the repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act of 1958. She was produced before the court on Thursday.
She is released periodically only to be re-arrested for continuing to fast.
Later, speaking to media, she expressed concern over the unwanted treatment to British citizen Desmond Coutinho on December 22 last year near the court complex. Sharmila said Desmond was her boy friend.
She said Desmond had helped her a lot when she launched her agitation in the national capital sometime back. Desmond, who was arrested on December 24 last year following a complaint by JNIMS hospital staff, was also produced before the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate and further remanded in judicial custody till January 22.
