Imphal: The Manipur government is considering handing over the recent case of illicit drug seizure, in which a Colonel-rank Defence PRO and five others were arrested, to a central agency dealing with drug control, a senior minister has said.
"The seizure of illicit drugs worth about Rs 24-25 crores on Sunday last indicates that the illegal trade has been going on for a long time. We are considering to hand over this case to a central agency dealing with drug control to find out those involved in it so that the traffickers, big or small, can be punished," Manipur Home Minister Gaikhangam said here yesterday.
Gaikhangam said the State Cabinet would soon take a decision on this issue.
Defence PRO Colonel Ajay Choudhury and five others were arrested on Sunday for allegedly transporting illicit drugs estimated at over Rs 24 crore for smuggling to Myanmar, police said.
Gaikhangam said the state government has also asked the central industrial security force (CISF) personnel who are on duty at Imphal airport to be very vigilant since the seizure of illicit drugs worth about Rs 1.50 crores at the airport about two weeks back and a suspect who was standing near the packets was picked up for questioning.
He said the CBI would be asked to investigate the matter.
Meanwhile, cases of drug seizures have united political parties and various social organisations to put pressure on the state government to find out the kingpins of this illegal trade.
Secretary of the CPI Manipur unit and senior leader, M Nara, said the case has added fuel to the suspicion of the general public that there was the hands of higher officials in drug trafficking.
"There is a social crisis in the state of Manipur. It is time for a social democratic revolution in the state. Drug peddling is a factor which will crumble the society," he said. President of a major social organisation, the Apunba Manpiur Kanba Ima Lup (AMKIL), United Mothers' Association to Protect Manipur said the government should immediately bring out to the notice of the general public the minister(s) or officers concerned involved in the illegal drug trade.
President of the Manipur People's Party (MPP) Sobha Kiran said Manipur has urged the government to do something to book those kingpins involved in the illegal trade.
S Ramani, the secretary of major social organisation Nupi Samaj (Women's society), said VIPs were involved in drug trafficking.
At least 14 major social organisations including AMKIL had submitted a memorandum to Governor Gurbachan Jagat recently urging the latter to initiate steps to book all the culprits involved in the drug trade.
All major political parties including Congress during a joint meeting have decided to take up the 'drug racket issue' at the national level.
MLA’s son arrested in Manipur drugs case
IMPHAL, Feb 28 – In the follow up investigation into seizure of contraband drugs from an Army Lt Colonel and five others, Manipur police has picked up the son of a senior Congress MLA along with a huge quantity of drugs.
Police said they rounded up Saikholen Haokip (35), son of Congress MLA TN Haokip based on information provided by Lt Colonel Ajay Choudhary of Bihar Regiment, who was posted in Manipur as Army PRO, on Monday night.
The army officer and five others were caught on Sunday for transporting psychotropic substances worth more than Rs 15 crores to Moreh town bordering Myanmar, from Imphal.
Police claimed to have recovered 2,316 strips of psychotropic drug Pseudoephedrine tablets including Ketamine hydrochloride injection IP and Extamine 500 mg packed in four huge cartons from the MLA’s private house at Dewlahland here.
He was booked under Section 21/29 of Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1988. The MLA’s son was remanded to police custody till March 8 after being produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Thoubal district on Tuesday evening.
All the seven arrested persons including the Army officer will be produced before the Special Court of NDPS in Imphal on March 8.
Meanwhile, the Congress MLA TN Haokip clarified that he has no connection with the seizure of drugs as his son was not with him for years. He demanded an inquiry into the incident by an independent body to find out the owner of the seized drugs.
Manipur Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam told reporters today that the government was considering to hand over the case to Central agencies like CBI or Narcotics Control Bureau to find out the facts and punish the involved persons.
Meanwhile, the BJP Mahila Morcha organised a sit-in here demanding immediate punishment to the drug smugglers. A memorandum has also been submitted to Manipur Governor Gurbachan Jagat in this regard.
PTI adds: The MLA said his son should be punished.
A former Irrigation and Flood Control Minister, the MLA told reporters here that he resided in government quarters at the ministerial complex at Babupara and had no role in the affair.
He said the house at Deulaland, from where his son was arrested, belonged to Seikholen with whom he had no relations for the past few years.
“There is no question of relations, friends or others while the case is in court,” he said.
He said the government should reward the policemen who arrested Defence PRO Ajay Chaudhury, five persons and later his son for their alleged involvement in attempting to smuggle out illicit drugs to Myanmar.
“Manipur society is degenerating fast because of illicit use of drugs by the youth,” he added.
Police said they rounded up Saikholen Haokip (35), son of Congress MLA TN Haokip based on information provided by Lt Colonel Ajay Choudhary of Bihar Regiment, who was posted in Manipur as Army PRO, on Monday night.
The army officer and five others were caught on Sunday for transporting psychotropic substances worth more than Rs 15 crores to Moreh town bordering Myanmar, from Imphal.
Police claimed to have recovered 2,316 strips of psychotropic drug Pseudoephedrine tablets including Ketamine hydrochloride injection IP and Extamine 500 mg packed in four huge cartons from the MLA’s private house at Dewlahland here.
He was booked under Section 21/29 of Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1988. The MLA’s son was remanded to police custody till March 8 after being produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Thoubal district on Tuesday evening.
All the seven arrested persons including the Army officer will be produced before the Special Court of NDPS in Imphal on March 8.
Meanwhile, the Congress MLA TN Haokip clarified that he has no connection with the seizure of drugs as his son was not with him for years. He demanded an inquiry into the incident by an independent body to find out the owner of the seized drugs.
Manipur Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam told reporters today that the government was considering to hand over the case to Central agencies like CBI or Narcotics Control Bureau to find out the facts and punish the involved persons.
Meanwhile, the BJP Mahila Morcha organised a sit-in here demanding immediate punishment to the drug smugglers. A memorandum has also been submitted to Manipur Governor Gurbachan Jagat in this regard.
PTI adds: The MLA said his son should be punished.
A former Irrigation and Flood Control Minister, the MLA told reporters here that he resided in government quarters at the ministerial complex at Babupara and had no role in the affair.
He said the house at Deulaland, from where his son was arrested, belonged to Seikholen with whom he had no relations for the past few years.
“There is no question of relations, friends or others while the case is in court,” he said.
He said the government should reward the policemen who arrested Defence PRO Ajay Chaudhury, five persons and later his son for their alleged involvement in attempting to smuggle out illicit drugs to Myanmar.
“Manipur society is degenerating fast because of illicit use of drugs by the youth,” he added.
Illegal arms dealer arrested in Manipur
Imphal, Feb 28 : An illegal arms dealer was arrested after a large number of weapons were allegedly found in his possession during a massive search operation in Imphal east district of Manipur.
Superintendent of Police (Imphal east district) Kamei Angam said following a tip-off, a police team led by officer in charge of district commandos inspector Achouba Meitei searched Shingjamei Bheigyabati Leikai area near here yesterday.
During the operation, an arms dealer identified as Khetrimayum Umakanta (44) was arrested. A single barrel country-made rifle, two country-made pistols, one country-made air pistol and large number of ammunition were recovered from his possession.
Angam said Umakanta allegedly manufactured the country-made weapons.He is in police custody for further interrogation.
In another incident, Imphal east district police commandos yesterday arrested three militants of Kangleipak Communist Party (Military Task Force) during search operation at Wangkhei Ayang Palli area in the district, police said.
Sources identified the militants as N Gogonbihari (25), L Bobi (35) and LisamAbung (21). Two mobile phones, party's extortion letters and some other underground materials were recovered from them.
Superintendent of Police (Imphal east district) Kamei Angam said following a tip-off, a police team led by officer in charge of district commandos inspector Achouba Meitei searched Shingjamei Bheigyabati Leikai area near here yesterday.
During the operation, an arms dealer identified as Khetrimayum Umakanta (44) was arrested. A single barrel country-made rifle, two country-made pistols, one country-made air pistol and large number of ammunition were recovered from his possession.
Angam said Umakanta allegedly manufactured the country-made weapons.He is in police custody for further interrogation.
In another incident, Imphal east district police commandos yesterday arrested three militants of Kangleipak Communist Party (Military Task Force) during search operation at Wangkhei Ayang Palli area in the district, police said.
Sources identified the militants as N Gogonbihari (25), L Bobi (35) and LisamAbung (21). Two mobile phones, party's extortion letters and some other underground materials were recovered from them.
Visa on arrival for Myanmarese: Manipur CM
The Centre has decided to provide visa on arrival at Moreh for the Myanmarese seeking medical treatment, Manipur chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh announced at the flag-off of the BCIM rally in Imphal.
"As a first step towards easing of restrictions, the government
has decided to provide Visa on arrival at Moreh for the Myanmarese," he said flagging off the rally at Kangla Fort on Wednesday.
Addressing the gathering, Singh said the restrictions in the movement of goods and services and people across the border need to be eased.
"We are looking at the opening up of road and rail passages to Bangladesh through Tripura so that our goods can be exported by using the ports of Bangladesh," the chief minister said.
The rally on Wednesday set off on its sixth stage from Imphal to Ka Lay in Myanmar.
CII chairman (eastern region) R K Agrawal hoped that the rally would revive ancient links and also forge new ties.
"It would also highlight the potential of northeast and explore cross-border land trade. CII is priviledged to partner the rally and have all the governments in its side," he added.
Karl Slym, MD Tata Motors, who joined the rally here along with his wife, said two Englishmen are also supporting the rally.
"This is my first trip to the area and we are planning on a holiday out here. This is about an area of the world that has not witnessed the kind of growth that metros experience.
We all are looking forward to driving," he added.
Hundreds of school children holding flags and flowers lined up at the Kangla Fort street to send off the rally this morning.
12-day rally will then proceed to Myanmar and culminate at Kunming, in the Yunnan province of China on March 5.
Earlier, in the wake of threat calls by Kuki tribe in Manipur, the BCIM Car Rally passed through the northeastern state amid unprecedented security.
"We have got the assurance from the highest level from the government of India. We don't see any trouble along the route anymore," Indian rally contingent head Sunil Misra said as the rally left Imphal, in the last stretch of India before entering Myanmar.
The Kuki State Demand Committee (KSDC) had earlier threatened to block the entry of the four-nation rally into 'Kuki areas' of the state with an indefinite public blockade in the tough 270-km NH-53 stretch from Silchar to Imphal.
Paramilitary personnel were stationed along the entire stretch from Silchar to Imphal as the cavalcade of 20 cars took more than 14 hours to cover the treacherous hilly terrain.
All along the route, the villagers came out in large numbers waving and cheering at the convoy.
The car rally, which has a motto of 'Building Bonds, Fostering Friendship', is focused to play a catalysis in stimulating interest of the concerned stakeholders in deepening BCIM cooperation.
3028-km rally's next stop is Ka Lay before heading to Mandalay, Ruili and then to Tengchong, Dali and Kunming in China where it is scheduled to culminate on March 5.
"As a first step towards easing of restrictions, the government
has decided to provide Visa on arrival at Moreh for the Myanmarese," he said flagging off the rally at Kangla Fort on Wednesday.
Addressing the gathering, Singh said the restrictions in the movement of goods and services and people across the border need to be eased.
"We are looking at the opening up of road and rail passages to Bangladesh through Tripura so that our goods can be exported by using the ports of Bangladesh," the chief minister said.
The rally on Wednesday set off on its sixth stage from Imphal to Ka Lay in Myanmar.
CII chairman (eastern region) R K Agrawal hoped that the rally would revive ancient links and also forge new ties.
"It would also highlight the potential of northeast and explore cross-border land trade. CII is priviledged to partner the rally and have all the governments in its side," he added.
Karl Slym, MD Tata Motors, who joined the rally here along with his wife, said two Englishmen are also supporting the rally.
"This is my first trip to the area and we are planning on a holiday out here. This is about an area of the world that has not witnessed the kind of growth that metros experience.
We all are looking forward to driving," he added.
Hundreds of school children holding flags and flowers lined up at the Kangla Fort street to send off the rally this morning.
12-day rally will then proceed to Myanmar and culminate at Kunming, in the Yunnan province of China on March 5.
Earlier, in the wake of threat calls by Kuki tribe in Manipur, the BCIM Car Rally passed through the northeastern state amid unprecedented security.
"We have got the assurance from the highest level from the government of India. We don't see any trouble along the route anymore," Indian rally contingent head Sunil Misra said as the rally left Imphal, in the last stretch of India before entering Myanmar.
The Kuki State Demand Committee (KSDC) had earlier threatened to block the entry of the four-nation rally into 'Kuki areas' of the state with an indefinite public blockade in the tough 270-km NH-53 stretch from Silchar to Imphal.
Paramilitary personnel were stationed along the entire stretch from Silchar to Imphal as the cavalcade of 20 cars took more than 14 hours to cover the treacherous hilly terrain.
All along the route, the villagers came out in large numbers waving and cheering at the convoy.
The car rally, which has a motto of 'Building Bonds, Fostering Friendship', is focused to play a catalysis in stimulating interest of the concerned stakeholders in deepening BCIM cooperation.
3028-km rally's next stop is Ka Lay before heading to Mandalay, Ruili and then to Tengchong, Dali and Kunming in China where it is scheduled to culminate on March 5.
Haul exposes demand for illicit party drug in Myanmar
NEW DELHI: The arrest of a Lt Colonel with banned drug pseudo-ephedrine worth crores of rupees in Manipur has brought to the fore the massive demand for the drug in Myanmar, where drug cartels use it to manufacture party drug meth-amphetamine.
Sources say Myanmar's reform push has heightened the demand for the drug in the country as the reconciliation process, which has led to ceasefire between Myanmarese government and several militias belonging to various ethnic groups, has pushed many fringe outfits to ramp up the production of drugs, especially meth-amphetamine.
In the past few months CISF has arrested over a dozen people from the north-east and seized close to 500 kg of pseudo-ephedrine at IGI Airport here. All these consignments were headed to Manipur, Mizoram or Guwahati from where they would be smuggled to Myanmar.
Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) alone has seized over one crore tablets of pseudo-ephedrine over the last one year with much of it headed to Myanmar. The latest case in point of Lt Col Ajay Chaudhary, posted as defence public relations officer in Imphal, arrested for allegedly trying to smuggle pseudo-ephedrine worth Rs 24 crore, is a reflection of how lucrative the business has become.
An NCB official said, "Myanmar has become a global hub of methamphetamine production. Smuggling of pseudo-ephedrine to the country has gone up alarmingly in the past few months because of high demand and lucrative prices being offered."
The official added that Myanmar drug cartels use pseudo-ephedrine to manufacture meth-amphetamine, which is then pushed back into India and Thailand.
Sources in the intelligence apparatus say while Myanmar traditionally has been a narcotics hub; production of chemical drugs has increased after President Thein Sein's reconciliation process of wooing ethnic groups to sign ceasefire pacts.
"This has led to two things. One, the former militias are free and have no other job but to manufacture drugs, which they did earlier to fund their activities. Second, with democratic process surging ahead, the groups want to make as much money as possible while the situation is conducive," explained an intelligence official.
Besides, the Myanmarese government is believed to have reached an unwritten agreement with the militia groups to allow them to intensify their drug manufacturing in lieu of a ceasefire.
"All this is having an impact on Indian market. Due to the demand in illicit market, massive amount of pseudo-ephedrine is being pilfered from factories based in Himachal Pradesh and the distribution networks," added the NCB official.
Sources say Myanmar's reform push has heightened the demand for the drug in the country as the reconciliation process, which has led to ceasefire between Myanmarese government and several militias belonging to various ethnic groups, has pushed many fringe outfits to ramp up the production of drugs, especially meth-amphetamine.
In the past few months CISF has arrested over a dozen people from the north-east and seized close to 500 kg of pseudo-ephedrine at IGI Airport here. All these consignments were headed to Manipur, Mizoram or Guwahati from where they would be smuggled to Myanmar.
Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) alone has seized over one crore tablets of pseudo-ephedrine over the last one year with much of it headed to Myanmar. The latest case in point of Lt Col Ajay Chaudhary, posted as defence public relations officer in Imphal, arrested for allegedly trying to smuggle pseudo-ephedrine worth Rs 24 crore, is a reflection of how lucrative the business has become.
An NCB official said, "Myanmar has become a global hub of methamphetamine production. Smuggling of pseudo-ephedrine to the country has gone up alarmingly in the past few months because of high demand and lucrative prices being offered."
The official added that Myanmar drug cartels use pseudo-ephedrine to manufacture meth-amphetamine, which is then pushed back into India and Thailand.
Sources in the intelligence apparatus say while Myanmar traditionally has been a narcotics hub; production of chemical drugs has increased after President Thein Sein's reconciliation process of wooing ethnic groups to sign ceasefire pacts.
"This has led to two things. One, the former militias are free and have no other job but to manufacture drugs, which they did earlier to fund their activities. Second, with democratic process surging ahead, the groups want to make as much money as possible while the situation is conducive," explained an intelligence official.
Besides, the Myanmarese government is believed to have reached an unwritten agreement with the militia groups to allow them to intensify their drug manufacturing in lieu of a ceasefire.
"All this is having an impact on Indian market. Due to the demand in illicit market, massive amount of pseudo-ephedrine is being pilfered from factories based in Himachal Pradesh and the distribution networks," added the NCB official.
Drugs seized at Imphal airport
IMPHAL, Feb 26 – Close on the heels of arrest of an army officer and five others for carrying contraband drugs worth Rs 15 crores yesterday, the Manipur Narcotics and Affairs of Border (NAB) team have detected a consignment of drugs at the Tulihal airport here, Police said today.
Acting on specific information that some illegal drugs are being transported through air cargo, an NAB team rushed to Tulihal airport here and seized a consignment of contraband drugs at around 3.35 pm today, said a press release.
One non-Manipuri youth in his early thirties was arrested along with the suspected consignment. The youth, identified as one Rajkumar Rai of Thangal Bazar here and hailing from Bihar was detained. On checking the consignment covered by white plastic gunny bag, the team found over a lakh Petas-TR tablets Pseudoephedrine in three cartons.
Though no sender’s name was written on the consignment, “Mr R Kumar, Thangal Bazaar,Imphal Manipur (M)986224566” was written on the consignment.
The estimated cost of the drugs is around Rs 8 lakhs. According to police, the seized drugs were to be used in manufacturing a psychotropic substances called ‘WY’ somewhere in south Asian countries.
Meanwhile, the army officer and five others who were detained along with Rs 15 crore worth of contraband drugs here yesterday, have been remanded to police custody for 12 days by the Chief Judicial Magistrate this afternoon, sources added.
Acting on specific information that some illegal drugs are being transported through air cargo, an NAB team rushed to Tulihal airport here and seized a consignment of contraband drugs at around 3.35 pm today, said a press release.
One non-Manipuri youth in his early thirties was arrested along with the suspected consignment. The youth, identified as one Rajkumar Rai of Thangal Bazar here and hailing from Bihar was detained. On checking the consignment covered by white plastic gunny bag, the team found over a lakh Petas-TR tablets Pseudoephedrine in three cartons.
Though no sender’s name was written on the consignment, “Mr R Kumar, Thangal Bazaar,Imphal Manipur (M)986224566” was written on the consignment.
The estimated cost of the drugs is around Rs 8 lakhs. According to police, the seized drugs were to be used in manufacturing a psychotropic substances called ‘WY’ somewhere in south Asian countries.
Meanwhile, the army officer and five others who were detained along with Rs 15 crore worth of contraband drugs here yesterday, have been remanded to police custody for 12 days by the Chief Judicial Magistrate this afternoon, sources added.
In India’s remote northeast, civilians challenge rape, killing by security forces
Simon Denyer/The Washington Post -
Irom Sharmila arrives for a fortnightly court appearance,
flanked by two police officers, in the northeastern Indian city of
Imphal on Feb. 7, 2013. Sharmila began a hunger strike in 2000 to
protest against a controversial law that grants the Indian army virtual
impunity from prosecution.
But for years, residents here have alleged that security forces have also waged a separate war of rape and murder of civilians, one they continue with impunity because federal law virtually prohibits the prosecution of soldiers in conflict zones.
But the government has dragged its feet. Although it implemented many of the committee’s suggestions for new protections for women in an emergency ordinance passed this month, the recommendation to curb the armed forces’ immunity was set aside. The government said it was reluctant to tell the army what to do.
While the New Delhi protests prompted India to reexamine its treatment of women, the debate over soldiers’ immunity — and the dark history in the border region — have underscored the limits of the power of India’s democracy to effect change when it comes up against entrenched vested interests such as the army, a supposedly apolitical institution that wields significant influence.
“We can’t move forward because there is no consensus,” Finance Minister Palaniappan Chidambaram said in a recent speech on national security, according to local media reports.
Referring to the immunity law by its full name, the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, or AFSPA, Chidambaram continued: “The present and former army chiefs have taken a strong position that the act should not be amended. . . . How does the government move forward . . . to make the AFSPA a more humanitarian law?”
The Defense Ministry declined to comment.
Here in the state of Manipur, where a local human rights group has documented 1,528 alleged extrajudicial executions and many cases of rape and sexual assault carried out by the police and army in the past three decades, the stalling of momentum has caused little surprise.
In 2004, soldiers arrested 32-year-old Thangjam Manorama Devi in the early morning, then left her bruised and bullet-ridden body by the roadside a few hours later. Police forensics experts concluded that she had been tortured and shot at close range while lying down. They also found evidence that she might have been raped.
For months afterward, the tiny hill state on the border with Burma erupted in protest. A group of women made national headlines when they stripped naked in front of an army barracks and held up a large banner that read “Indian army rape us.”
But the Manipur incident changed nothing.
For eight years, the Indian government has blocked the release of a judicial investigation into Manorama’s death, fighting a long legal battle that has now reached the Supreme Court, nor has it made any move to prosecute those responsible.
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