NCB joins probe into Manipur drug haul case

Anti-narcotics sleuths from the Union Home Ministry have joined the probe into the drug haul case involving a Colonel-rank Army officer.

New Delhi/Imphal: Anti-narcotics sleuths from the Union Home Ministry have joined the probe into the Rs 24 crore drug haul case involving a Colonel-rank Army officer and an MLA`s son in Manipur. The state government has also decided to hand over the probe to CBI. A team of Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) has been sent and is camping in the state to help in the probe as it is suspected that the case has wider ramifications, sources said here on Tuesday. The NCB, which has activated its intelligence machinery to obtain more leads in the case, is jointly interrogating the arrested along with Manipur police, they said. The decision to recommend the case to CBI was taken last evening in a cabinet meeting in Manipur, chaired by Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh and convened especially to discuss the issue, the officials said. Colonel-rank defence PRO Ajay Chaudhury and five others were arrested on February 24 at Pallel area in Chandel district on their way to Moreh border town for allegedly transporting illicit drugs in three vehicles for smuggling them to neighbouring Myanmar. Seikholen Haokip, son of ruling Congress MLA T N Haokip, was arrested on February 26 at Deulaland near here in connection with the case. The arrest of Haokip followed interrogation of Chaudhury, his assistant R K Babalu, assistant manager of Indigo airlines Ngairangbam Brojendro Singh and three others - Haopu Haokip, Ningthang Doungel and Minlal Haokip.

The seven are now in police custody till March 8. Cases have been filed against them under various sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act. The seized drugs, also called party drugs, included pseudoephedrine tablets - Respifed, Omkop, Hilcold, Polyfed and Actidin. PTI