Govt officials under NIA scanner
Takes statements of 2 businessmen
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, January 19, 2011:
The NIA (National Investigation Agency) team in its course of investigation into UG extortions have started taking statements of the government officials.
Official sources said that the NIA started investigation to the modus-operandi behind UNLF's collection of funds based on the records available by the NIA revealed from its arrested leaders including chairman RK Meghen in the recent times.
Apart from Meghen, organization secretary, deputy secretary and top leaders of the finance section of the outfit had been arrested.
Today, NIA officials led by its Additional SP, Nivash Shrivastav recorded statements of two persons who were summoned to appear in the court of Chief Judicial First Class, Imphal.
The recordings of their statements which began this afternoon lasted till late evening.
A source from the court said that one of the officials whose statements was recorded is called Rupa hailing from Khurai Lamlong side and another man who was his elder brother.
Rupa was earlier engaged in rice trade.
A four-member team of the NIA from New Delhi led by SP Ashim Shrivastav arrived here on January 5 to investigate into a case registered against arrested UNLF chairman, RK Meghen among others.
Since then, they have so far recorded statements of at least four engineers of the state government.
They have also taken statements of the proprietors of Sapam X-ray and Adarsh Laboratory.
Officials of some banks including general managers were also summoned by them and checks were conducted in money transactions in their banks.
Yesterday, NIA officials recorded the statement of a non-local running a business dealing with grocery items.
His godown at Mantripukhri was also raided.
The source further said that the NIA team furnished details of money transactions of big businessmen and top officials of the state government, etc.
As the details were based on the disclosures and documents recovered from the arrested top leaders, many top officials, businessmen are likely to fall in the net of the NIA.
Even though investigation into a case involving an official of the state government by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) required prior permission from the government concerned, this will not be so for the NIA.
For instance, Gujarat CM Narendra Modi had to appear before a NIA court when he was summoned.
Another task of the NIA team in the state is to investigate into the transfer of development funds released to the state to the UGs by government officials.
The task is to find out how far the allegations of transferring huge funds to UG outfits could be ascertained.
This is per instructions of the Union Home Ministry.
On the other hand, the source said that the case registered by the NIA against UNLF chairman, RK Meghen is only of 'waging war against the Indian Union.
In order to frame a charge-sheet against Meghen, NIA is learnt to have required knowing how and from where UNLF have raised their funds.
The team was earlier scheduled go back to New Delhi on January 15 but except for a DSP who flew back yesterday, other officials have stayed behind.
How long will they stay in Imphal could not be known.
They are currently working in a temporary office at the Banquet hall of 1st MR Bn HQ.
They are updating progress of the investigation everyday to its head office in New Delhi, the source said.
Comment
