New Delhi, Sept. 7 -- The Supreme Court on Monday suspended the life sentence of former self-styled lieutenant colonel of NSCN-IM, Hopeson Ningshen, convicted for the 2009 abduction and murder of three government officials in Manipur, citing his incarceration of more than 17 years.

A bench of Justices MM Sundresh and PB Varale granted conditional suspension of his sentence and directed that Ningshen remain within Delhi and not leave the national capital till the disposal of his appeal.

The Manipur government opposed the plea, citing the sensitivity of the case, while the Centre said that if the court decided to suspend the sentence, adequate safeguards could be imposed.

The bench noted that it had considered the sensitivity of the matt...