Court remands GMT founder, others to police custody
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 27 2021: The Court of an Additional Session Judge has further remanded Grow Manipur Team founder Pukhram Maikel Singh, his wife, sister and brother-in-law to seven days police custody till June 2 and four others including his father and mother to judicial custody remand till June 10 .

The eight accused persons are Pukhram Maikel (30), his wife - Pukhram Babita (28), sister - Pukhram Renuka (28), father - Pukhram Jiten (61), mother - Pukhram Rebati (61), all from Moirang Pukhram Leikai.

The other accused persons are identified as Khundrakpam Bikash (23), Khundrakpam Jenny (22) of Kwakeithel Makha Thokchom Leikai and Keisham Ulen (24) of Thangmeiband Sinam Leikai.

They were arrested by Bishnupur police for allegedly running a ponzi scheme based on a complaint filed by one Soubam Sophina and her husband of Singjamei Leisangthem Leikai.

They were produced before the Court after completion of their police custody period.

In the Court, the Investigating Officer stated that the complainant and her husband were promised a 7 percent interest on invested capital and guaranteed that the invested capital can be withdraw at any time after giving prior notice of 15 days on reaching an invested period of 3 months.

They invested about Rs 29 lakh.

The police complaint claimed that from October last year onward, the promised interest payment was stopped and the office of the Grow Manipur Team located at Moirang Pukhram Leikai was also found shut.

The complaint alleged suspicion that the Grow Manipur team was running a fraudulent ponzi scheme to lure people to invest their hard earned money.

During the enquiry, the Investigating Officer submitted that accused Maikel and his entire family and associates were planning to escape to Russia and they had also contacted a travel agency located at Thoubal for the purpose.

Police have seized the flight tickets from the agency, added the 10 .

Further police carried out search at four different locations at Moirang Pukhram Leikai, Sangaiprou Mamang Leikai, Kwakeithel Makha Thokchom Leikai and Thangmeiband Sinam Leikai and arrested all the accused persons.

Police also seized Rs 7,66,730 in cash, jewellery worth Rs 1 lakh, luxury cars and passports of 13 persons.

Further search was conducted at the house of Pukhram family at Sangaiprou Mamang Leikai and the police seized a Mercedes car and Harley Davidson Bike.

Above this, three more luxury cars were also seized from Maikel's house located Moirang Pukhram Leikai.

The IO submitted the accused persons have revealed that they took major roles in starting the Grow Manipur team (GMT) in September 2019.Around 30 odd agents of GMT are actively marketing the scheme all over the Manipur and other States of India.

GMT has more than 5,000 depositors from 18 States of India.

The IO then prayed for further police custody remand of Pukram Maikel, P Babita, P Renuka and Khundrakpam Bikash and judicial custody for remaining other accused persons.

After hearing, the Court remanded Pukram Maikel, P Babita, P Renuka and Khundrakpam Bikash to further seven more days police custody remand till June 2 s.The Court then rejected the bail application filed by accused Pukhram Jiten, P Rebati, Khundrakpam Jenny and Keisham Ulen and remanded them to judicial custody remand till June 10 .

Comment