PRO (DW) Col Ajay Choudhury caught with drugs worth Rs 15 cr
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, February 24 2013 : In one of the biggest drug hauls in the State so far, Colonel Ajay Choudhury, Public Relations Officer (PRO) of Press Information Bureau (Defense Wing), was caught along with five persons by Manipur police Commandos while trying to smuggle illicit drugs (pseudoephedrine tablets) worth Rs 15 crores into Myanmar through Moreh.

This is third time in less than two months that Manipur police have seize large consignment of drugs in the State.

On January 11, a team of Special Intelligence Unit (SIU), Imphal West led by its Inspector K Ranjit seized large quantity of contraband Pseudoephedrine tablet worth around Rs 1.4 crore from Tulihal Airport, Imphal and on February 15, a team of Imphal East police seized a huge consignment of the same drug worth 1.3 crore from Mantripukhri, Today's incident took place at around 8 am near Pallel Police out post.

Colonel Ajay Choudhury was caught with five of his companions along with the drug consignment by a team of Thoubal Police Commandos led by OC Sudhir.

The five companions have been identified as Ngairangbam Brojendro (40) s/o late Mg Gyaneshwar of Singjamei Khongnang Pheidekpi; Haopu Haokip (28) s/o late Thangam Haokip of Langol Game Village; Minthang Doungel (27), s/o Lunkhohao Doungel of New Checkon; Shitlal Haokip (25), s/o late Otkhokai Haokip, New Checkon and RK Babloo (25) s/o RK Bijen of Top Khongnangkhong.

While Brojendro is an Assistant Manager of Indigo Airlines, RK Babloo is said to be an Army Sepoy.

All six of them were coming in three vehicles, two Bolero jeeps and one Tata Safari.

The Bolero jeep in which Colonel Ajay Choudhury was travelling was using a flag-post and leading the two other vehicles.

Colonel Ajay Choudhury was seated in a white Bolero (MN04A/8390) but it had number plate (MN04A/6968) over the first one.

Brojendro was driving the said Bolero in which Colonel Ajay Choudhury was sitting.

Thangam Haokip was driving the other Bolero (AS01BA/8699) while Shitlal Haokip was on the wheel of the Tata Safari bearing registration no.MN02A/ 0369 .

According to police report, the three vehicles were first stopped at Khongjom by VDF personnel.

But they managed to make a skip from checking when Colonel Ajay Choudhury said they were from Defence Wing and went ahead without stopping.

VDF personnel sensed something fishy in the conduct of Colonel Ajay Choudhury and conveyed the message to Thoubal Police Commandos stationed at Pallel.

As soon as Colonel Ajay Choudhury and his team reached Pallel Police check post, they informed the police personnel guarding the check post that they were with Defense PRO and sped away from there again.

However, a police commando team led by OC Sudhir wasted no time in mounting their Gypsies vehicle and overtook the three vehicles at a distance of 300 metres away from Pallel Police Outpost.

The three vehicles along with the six persons including PRO (Defense Wing) Colonel Ajay Choudhary were immediately taken into custody and brought them to Pallel Commando Complex.

When the commandos checked the three vehicles huge consignment of pseudoephedrine tablets which included Respifed, Omkop, Hilcold, Polyfed and Actidin were found in 33 different bags and carton boxes.

The total seizure is said to be worth around Rs.15 crores.

In the first Bolero jeep in which Colonel Ajay Choudhury was sitting, the commando team found drugs packed in 2 huge bags, 5 carton boxes and one huge plastic bag.

Six huge plastic bags and three carton boxes were found packed with the drugs in the second vehicle and in the third vehicle, i.e in the Tata Safari, 8 plastic bags, for travelling bags and one carton box were found loaded packed with the drugs.

When questioned about the seizure, Colonel Ajay Choudhury reportedly told police that he was not aware of the goods and thought they were the personnel goods of his travelling colleagues.

On receiving the report, SP of Thoubal District Police Dr AK Jhalajit also rushed in to take stock of the situation.

A case has been registered against them under various sections of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

Reports said all the six arrested were handed over to the custody of Kakching police station, Thoubal district in the evening.

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