SP clarifies on disbanding SIU
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, January 23 2013:
Taking note of the various reports and opinion published in the State dailies over the disbandment of the Special Invetigation Unit of Imphal West police, the SP of Imphal West has explained the circumstances under which the Unit was disbanded.
In a statement issued to the press, the SP said that the SIU was formed as an internal arrangement of the Imphal West police, with personnel drawn from different units.
The SIU was formed primarily to carry out drives against vehicle thefts/lifters, rackets involving preparation of fake documents and certificates, counterfeit currency and against persons involved in drug related cases and other contraband forest products, the tasks normally entrusted to the Narcotic Cell, Imphal West, which is also not a sanctioned unit.
The Narcotic Cell and the SIU function directly under the supervision of the SP, Imphal West.
It is the normal practise that whenever any intelligence inputs are received by the Narcotic Cell and the SIU, the information is immediately passed on to the SP, Imphal West, said the statement.
However in the case pertaining to the seizure of seven cartons containing 32,250 strips of Robocoff tablets, 2680 stripes of Respifed tablets, 5470 strips of Seafied tables from Tulihal airport, the SP was not informed by the SIU team under Inspector K Ranjit.
At the time of the seizure, the SP was available in office.
Due to the "independent and indifferent attitude of Inspector K Ranjit, the owners of the seized rugs managed to make their escape good," claimed the statement and added that had the SIU team informed the SP or the police station concerned (Singjamei police station), the owners of the seized drugs could have been apprehended.
Following hectic efforts put in by the OC of Narcotic Cell, Imphal West and Singjamei police station managed to round up one accused, said the statement and identified him as Md Rajauddin (29) son of Md Riyazuddin of Lilong Sambrukhong, Thoubal district on January 18, after the SIU was disbanded.
The SP further clarified that detection of drug smuggling through air cargo is difficult as the identities of the senders and receivers are all fictitious ones.
Yet despite all the odds and difficulties, the district police have been able to detect and identify owners of drugs consignments smuggled through air cargo on a number of occasion, said the statement.
Taking serious note of the matter, the DGP himself has taken up the matter with the Narcotic Control Bureau, New Delhi and the Bureau of Civil Aviations, New Delhi.