IMPHAL: Kangjam Ranjit, who was officer in-charge (OC) of the now disbanded Special Investigation Unit (SIU), claimed that on January 11, 2013, he received phone calls from Okram Henry (presently Wangkhei MLA) and Luwangthem Tarpon (advisor to former Chief Minister) of Keishampat Thokchom Leikai on his mobile number, instructed him to call out the SIU team who were inside Tulihal airport to assess the seized illegal drugs.
Deposing before the Special Judge, Narcotic Drugs & Psychotropic Substance (ND&PS) Manipur on Friday as a prosecution witness of the CBI, Ranjit, who is presently OC Imphal West Police Narcotics Cell, recounted that huge consignment of pseudoephedrine tablets worth about Rs 1.4 crore was seized from Tulihal Airport on January 11, 2013 by an SIU team led by him.
Ranjit informed the court that on January, 11, 2013, subsequent to information received about contraband drugs being transported from outside to Imphal in a Deccan cargo flight, the SIU team, which also comprised Sub-inspectors E Ajit and Amitab Arambam rushed to the airport.
Along with revealing he had inputs that owner of the contraband drugs was an influential person, the OC said he issued direction to his subordinate officials for maintaining vigil inside the airport while he studied the situation from outside.
Further stating that he relayed the report of the seizure to the then Addl. SP (Imphal West) Herojit Singh who was in-charge as SP, Imphal West since K Jayanta Singh (SP) was out of station, Ranjit recounted that he received phone calls from Okram Henry and Tarpon Singh, both asking him to call out the SIU team as well as instructing not to touch some specific cartons.
Defying the callers’ instructions, Ranjit said as none came forward to claim the boxes he instructed the subordinate officials to seize the cartons, brought them to the SUI office around 9 pm of the same day and on checking found the boxes containing psychotropic drugs.
Nearly half an hour after seizure of the drugs, Ranjit said he received transfer order from Narcotics Cell to Inspector CAR, Imphal West followed by SI Ajit Singh lodging a written report with the OC Singjamei police station on January 12 along with handing over the seven seized cartons for doing necessary actions.
On January 15, 2013, SIU, which was formed on June 5, 2012 was abolished and all staff of the said unit transferred to different places.
Interestingly, Ranjit disclosed to the court that on January 17, 2013 at about 9.30 pm unknown persons fired some rounds near the entrance gate of his Malom residence.
With the exception of Okram Henry, all those charge-framed by the court including L Tarpon, Md Rajauddin of Lilong Sambrukhong, Rajneesh Kumar of Lucknow and Sapam Argus Singh of Changangei Mayai Leikai were present in the court during charge consideration.
Source: The People’s Chronicle
