Woman injured in Manipur bomb blast

Imphal, Jun 18 : A woman was injured when a powerful bomb, suspected to be planted by militants, exploded in Imphal West district of Manipur today, official sources said.

Sources said the bomb, attached to a two-wheeler, went off in front of the second Manipur Rifles battalion office at Pandon area near here at around 9.30 am injuring a woman passers-by.

The police and security personnel went to the high security area soon afterwards and began frisking passers-by.

The two wheeler might have been parked there either this morning or last night.

No individual or group has claimed responsibility for the explosion.

Hassle free tourism industry mooted

Churachandpur, June 11 : Prophesying the vivid prospect of tourism industry in the State, Tourism Minister TN Haokip has today mooted on the need to ensure a hassle-free tourism related infrastructure development in Manipur.

"From the bottom of my heart, I plead all sections of the society to leave a space for the industry to grow," he said addressing a handful of gathering while inaugurating a lodging hotel here.

The State Government is struggling to rope in private investors on tourism sector, initially everyone was interested but on witnessing the ground reality where the gun culture floats, they quickly made a silent retreat, he maintained.

Haokip was attending the inauguration of a novel entrepreneurs Venus Hotel, as he risked the prospect of entering the hotel sector despite the volatile law and order situation in the State.

The hotel inaugurated today was only the second of its kind in the district drawing large number of foreigners and officials from outside the district.

Recalling his trips across the globe, the Minister said, except for Switzerland, there are few countries that enjoy the picturesque and pleasant atmosphere of the State.

Manipur shares a unique feature of being a plain in the midst of hills and mountains, he added.

Like any other developing nation, Manipur too will one day witness a vibrant tourism industry which will play a vital role in uplifting the State' economy.

So let us not burden the individuals or the Department of Tourism that has taken the initiative to develop the tourism infrastructure in the State, he said.

RB slams money power in politics

Imphal, June 11 : Rubbing salt into the wounds of the SPF Government on the law and order front, NCP State unit president Radhabinod Koijam has today said that the only way to bring a semblance of normalcy and governance in the State is to effect a change in the Government.

Speaking at the 11th foundation day of the NCP at its office today, the Opposition leader said that if no change is effected in the present political climate then those who genuinely want to work for the upliftment of the State will taste defeat in the hustings.

Sounding a warning to the people, Radhabinod said that the political culture is such that a number of moneyed contractors and businessmen have started entering politics.

If these set of people are elected to power, then they will only rob the people instead of working for the welfare of everyone, he predicted.

The NCP leader further said that the Congress did well in the recent Parliamentary election due to money power and not because of any popular mandate from the electorate and added that not more than 15 pc voted for the Congress while the rest were bought over with money.

Money power will only pollute politics, he added.

Elaborating on what the NCP has been doing for the betterment of the State, Radhabinod Koijam said that he personally met Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar of the NCP at Delhi on June 8 and urged him to formulate an agriculture policy specifically for the North East, particularly for Manipur.

The Opposition leader further said that he also met Union MoS for Rural Development Agatha Sangma and urged her to take up relevant rural projects in Manipur.

NCP MLAs Doukhomang Khongsai, Salam Joy and Th Nandakishore who were also present that the NCP is a secular party and does not believe in caste politics.

Its mantra is development for all, they claimed and added that development without peace is meaningless.

The leaders also urged the party workers to put in their best foot forward to realise the objective of the NCP and make Manipur a better place.

CBI submits charge-sheet on KVK fund misappropriation case

Imphal, June 11 : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has submitted charge-sheet to case of fraudulent withdrawal of funds amounting to Rs 85.58 lakh using forged Kisan Vikas Patra (KVP) card from the Imphal Post Office around three year back.

The charge-sheet was submitted in the court of the special judge, Imphal east district against four person including three officials of the Imphal Post Office stating further investigation into three others including two officials of the same post office are yet to complete. Following the prayer of the CBI, the court summoned the person involved in the charge sheet to appear in the court on July 7 .

CBI, ACB, Guwahati handling the case submitted the charge-sheeted against the former postal agent Thangjam Anupama of Wangkhei Thambalkhong Laishram Leirak, Bashab Bijay Dutta of Netaji Subhas Palli, former assistant postal master Ksh Bimola of Kongpal Kshetri Leikai and Govind Singh of Tekarchand, Baliya, UP.

They were alleged of colluders in the withdrawal of the amount Rs 85,58,425 using forged of the Kisan Vikas Patra (KVP) card under the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), which CBI registered an FIR case and investigate into the case.

CBI authority is yet to submit charge-sheet three persons, namely former deputy post masters of the Imphal Post Office, Chingaikim Vaiphei, GS Rongmei and SP Vaiphei who also alleged of involving in the fraudulent withdrawal of the funds.

CBI informed the court that they are yet to make arrest to any of the persons allegedly involved in the case and prayed the court to summoned them by the court.

In the charge-sheet submitted to the court, it was mentioned that during the investigation, the agency found that former deputy post masters of the Imphal Post Office, Chingaikim Vaiphei, GS Rongmei and SP Vaiphei on collusion with other persons withdrawn the funds using missing 420 KVP cards.

The fraudulent had cost great lost to the government exchequer.

In the year 1998, bank KVP cards bearing serial no.from 46 CC 8400001 to 46 CC to 100000 of Rs 10,000 denominations missed while transporting from India Security Press to Circle Stamp Depot located in Kolkata.

Central government notified the missing of the cards with the serial numbers of the missing cards.

The government also circulated the same to all the post offices across the country by issuing corrigendum.

In the later part, two persons, Bhashab Subash Dutta and Sh Govind who came to the state in collusion with the some officials of the Imphal post office withdrawn the amounts using 425 cards of Rs.10,000 denominations.

While submitting the charge-sheet, CBI also prayed the court to summon the persons allegedly involved in the charge-sheet as they are yet to taken into custody by the CBI authority.

Th Anupamaand Ksh Bimola had appeared in the court yesterday but as Bhashab Subash Dutta and Sh Govind did not appeared in the court yesterday.

They have been asked to appear before the court on July 7, 2009, the source said.

Fourteen houses set ablaze in NC Hills

Haflong, June 12 : Violence continued to rock strife-torn North Cachar Hill district of Assam with 14 houses in a Dimasa tribal village set ablaze on Wednesday.

Suspected Zemi-Naga tribals burnt down 14 houses at Jiribasti under Haflong police station at around 4.00 am, police said.

There was, however, no report of any casualty or injuries, the police said.

Several persons have been killed and houses set ablaze in ethnic clashes between the Dimasas and Zemi-Nagas during the past few months.

Zemi-Naga tribals had earlier set ablaze 40 houses on June 8.

Violence has rocked the Hill district with militant outfits Dima Halam Daogah (jewel) and the rival NSCN(IM) as well as Khaplang factions targeting public, trains and public installations.

Security has been stepped up in the trouble-torn district particularly after the arrest of DHD (J) Chief Jewel Garlosa, who is currently in the custody of the National Investigating Agency (NIA).

SC allows CBI's plea to produce militant leader in local court

New Delhi, June 09: The Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld CBI's plea to allow production of an alleged Naga militant leader before a trial court here instead of in Manipur, where he is reportedly involved in the murder of three rival Meiti community members, because of a threat to his life.

The apex court also issued notice to the militant leader Hopeson Nigshen on CBI's plea for transfer of the trial in connection with the killings from Manipur to Delhi.

A vacation bench of Justices B Sudershan Reddy and Aftab Alam granted the plea after Additional Solicitor General Amarendra Saran submitted on behalf of CBI that Nigshen cannot be produced in a court in Manipur in view of the volatile situation in that state.

The investigation agency had also submitted that if produced in a trial court in Manipur, the accused faced an imminent threat to his life from his adversaries.

According to CBI, on February 17, 2009 Nigshen and other militants owing allegiance to NSCN (IM) faction abducted Dr Thingnam Kishan Singh, sub-divisional officer-cum-block development officer, Kasom Khullen, in Manipur's Ukhril district and five of his statf.

The militants allegedly let off two captives who belonged to the Naga community while killing Dr Kishan Singh and two others belonging to the Meiti community.

The killings resulted in ethnic tension between the Meities and Nagas and led to a series of bandhs in the Manipur. In view of the sensitivity of the killing, the state government transferred the case to CBI which subsequently arrested Nigshen on May 29.

As ethnic tension started mounting between the two communities, CBI shifted the militant leader to Delhi and has sought transfer of the trial to the capital.

Nigshen is said to be the Lt. Col of the Kiusumong battalion of the NSCN (IM )faction.