3rd arrest in Kwakta blast case effected
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 19 2023: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) today arrested 26 years old Md Islauddin in connection with the blast of an IED fitted SUV (Scorpio) on Kwakta culvert under Phougakchao Ikhai police station on June 21 night in which three persons sustained injuries.

Md Islauddin is the third accused arrested by NIA in connection with the IED blast.

On September 30, Seiminlun Gangte was arrested from Churachandpur by a team of NIA and taken to New Delhi on the same day from Imphal and produced before the concerned NIA Court in New Delhi.

On October 16, NIA arrested the second accused identified as Md Noor Hussain, son of late Md Babu of Kwakta Ward No 8, Bishnupur district from Silchar, Assam in a joint operation by the Assam Police and NIA.

The arrested accused identified as Md Islauddin (26) s/o Jeharuddin of Kwakta Ward No 8 was arrested by a team of NIA Imphal Branch from Kwakta area and produced before the Special Court, NIA Manipur through video conferencing along with a prayer for 10 days remand.

Apart from seeking the Court's grant for sending the accused's mobile phone to laboratory for forensic analysis and data extraction, NIA also filed another application praying for insertion of additional sections of law in the particular case.

Special PP, NIA submitted that in compliance with the Ministry of Home Affairs' order of 23 June, an FIR was re -registered in connection with the Kwakta IED blast under different sections of IPC, sections 3 and 5 of Explosive Substances Act and section 4 of Prevention of Damage to Public Property.

The FIR was first registered by Phougakchao Ikhai police station.

In due course of investigation, it was established that Md Islauddin was involved in the IED blast with other accomplices by bringing a Scorpio fitted with IED and executing the blast, the Special PP submitted.

The accused was arrested along with one mobile phone and a two-wheeler moped bearing registration number MN01-AL-9541 used in the IED blast.

The Special PP prayed the Court to remand the accused in NIA custody for 10 days.

The Court, after hearing the submission of the Special PP and on perusal of the case, remanded the accused in NIA custody for seven days and directed the NIA to keep the seized items in its custody.

During the course of investigation, it has been discovered that members of a suspected terrorist group and other persons were involved in the particular case and what they did was an act of terrorism, the Special PP said. Further informing that suspected armed insurgent groups also took advantage of the unrest in the State of Manipur to carry out acts of terrorism, the Special PP prayed for the Court's permission to slap additional sections of law in the particular case.

After hearing the Special PP, the Court allowed the NIA to add section 16/18/20/23 of the UA(P) Act to the case.

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