Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 04 2009:
Claiming responsibility for the abduction of three officials of the Food and Civil Supplies (FCS) Department, the newly floated united Peoples' Party Kangleipak (UPPK) said the trio are in safe custody of the armed group since January 30 .
The three District Supply Officers namely S Iboton (FCS/Imphal West), W deben (Imphal East) and Th Bhumeshore (Bishnupur) were taken into custody of the UPPK for their involvement in misappropriation of APL rice distribution, alleged assistant secretary in-charge, District Committee Member of the UPPK's information and publicity department Khuman Laishramcha.
In a statement issued today, Khuman claimed that the DSOs deliberately delayed distribution of the essential food item in the November 2007 quota that triggered rise in price of APL rice as 50/60 truckloads were hideously confined.
Moreover, the official trio are accused of charging additional sum of Rs 26 margin money over and above the Rs 830 per bag rate and insisting on another sum of Rs 55 as individual levy.
The UPPK functionary also asserted that W Deben would be punished accordingly for his family's attempt to project the UPPK initiative as an abduction for-ransom case and cautioned all concerned against staging protests which is akin to protecting the guilty ones rather than castigating such officials for causing hardship to the general populace.
Clarifying that UPPK never imposed monetary demand of Rs 1 crore as had been reported, Khuman also disclosed of intimating FCS authorities to hand over Rs 3 crore which Department officials had misappropriated in between November 2007 to November 2008 from the APL rice scheme.
Further reminding that UPPK is still committed to its policy of refraining from involuntary monetary demand, the outfit nevertheless affirmed it would not spare any FCS personnel found involved in denying the people its due rights.