KCP chief, aide held in Delhi
Source: The Sangai Express / PTI

New Delhi, January 12 2017: The chief of Manipur's proscribed Kangliepak Communist Party and two more members of the outfit were arrested today by Delhi Police's Special Cell separately from the National capital and Manipur.

Khoirom Ranjit aka Rocky aka Great Macha (35), the self-styled Commander-in-Chief of KCP-Poirei Meitei, and his female partner Inungbam Sanatombi Devi (26) were arrested by a team of the Special Cell from near Sanjay Lake in East Delhi, while their associate Pukhrihongbam Ibomcha was arrested hours later in Manipur.

"They are involved in large number of cases of terror activities like lobbing of grenades, shoot-outs, killings, planting of bombs, running extortion network by intimidating businessmen and politicians," said DCP (Special Cell) Sanjeev Kumar Yadav.

Ranjit and Sanatombi Devi had come to meet an associate in Delhi when they were arrested, the officer said, adding that 100-150 mobile SIM cards and laptops were recovered from them.

Sources said the duo had visited Delhi a couple of times in the last one year.

Police said Ranjit had close relations with Congress MLA from Andro Constituency in Manipur Thounaojam Shyamkumar Singh, who was arrested in 2006 by the Special Cell from Delhi Airport, along with two members of Manipur-based insurgent group United National Liberation Front.

Singh was arrested when he was about to board a flight to Kathmandu where a meeting of various insurgent groups was scheduled.

Laptops and documents were recovered from them.

The MLA was lodged in Tihar jail and had fought and won elections while he was lodged in Tihar Jail.

He was acquitted of the charges in 2012 but police have appealed against his acquittal in the Delhi High Court and the matter is sub-judice.

A close aide of the MLA is alleged to have been involved in collecting money from businessmen and politicians on behalf of Ranjit.

In November, Manipur police informed their counterparts here about the presence Ranjit in Delhi.

Sources were deployed and technical surveillance was mounted to apprehend him.

Ranjit was planning to set up a base in Delhi to carry out their activities in Manipur as he felt that in Delhi, they could remain in anonymity and carry out their work, the sources said.

As Manipur goes to polls in March, Ranjit was planning to intensify his activities and he thought Delhi would serve as a base from where he could keep a watch on Manipur, they added.

During interrogation, Ranjit told police about the whereabouts of his close aide Pukhrihongbam Ibomcha, who is involved in cases of planting of grenades in hospitals in Imphal, said DCP Yadav.

A joint team of Special Cell and Manipur police conducted a raid and arrested him from Manipur.

A 9 mm pistol and 2 hand grenades were recovered from his possession, he added.

During interrogation, Ranjit told police that he came in contact with cadres of Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) who used to visit his CD shop.

He started keeping their extortion letters in his shop and then became an over-ground worker of KYKL and was involved in delivery of extortion letters and was monitoring the movement of security forces in valley region, said the officer.

In 2007, he was apprehended by Assam Rifles but got released due to political interference.

In 2008, he was again arrested by a joint team of police and Assam Rifles.

After getting released from jail, he went to Nepal and set up his base of extortion network there.

From January 2011 to April 2013, he worked as a finance collector under the supervision of the finance secretary of KCP-KK Nigamba Group and extorted Rs 70 lakh.

In 2014, he got involved in smuggling illegal arms from Myanmar.

On June 8, 2014, he was arrested by Manipur police.

After his release from jail, he entered into a dispute with the KK Nigamba group and formed his own group KCP-Poirei Meitei.

He married twice and has one daughter and two sons from his first wife and one son and one daughter from second wife.

While his wife stays in Manipur with his children, he has been living in with Inugbam Sanatombi Devi.

"Sanatombi Devi is a post-graduate in Hindi.

She writes all the extortion letters and even collects the extortion money.

She was indoctrinated by Ranjit to join his outfit.

She is involved in day-to-day activities of his organisation," said Yadav.

Ibomcha, who was arrested in Manipur later in the day, is an ex-cadre of Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) .

"He is an active cadre of KCP-Poirei Meitei group.

On November 26, he planted grenade at JNIMS Hospital Porompat on the direction of Ranjit.

"On November 29, at 8.30 pm he again planted a grenade at RIMS (Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal) ICU ward Imphal on the direction of Ranjit.

Ibomcha runs a jewellery shop in Santha Bazar near Yairipok bridge and extorts money at the behest of his chief," he added.

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