Small arms missing case : KRA chief taken into police custody
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 25 2018: David Hangshing, chairman of Kuki Revolutionary Army (KRA), which is under Suspension of Operation pact with the State and the Union Governments, and who was arrested in connection with the arms missing case from 2nd Manipur Rifles Arms Kote, was produced before the duty Magistrate today and taken into police remand for three days till August 27 .

According to a reliable source, the arrested chairman was produced before the duty Magistrate with a prayer for police custody to ensure smooth investigation into the case following which the accused was remanded into police custody for three days along with a direction to produce him before the Court concerned on August 27 .

David Hangshing of Dewlaland, who is also the son-in-law of Saitu MLA Ngamthang Haokip, was arrested by a team of NIA yesterday at around 3.45 pm from his residence by observing all necessary formalities.

According to a press release uploaded in the web site of the NIA, it is stated that the investigation of the case which pertains to theft of 56 pistols and 58 magazines from DG pool armoury located within the premises of 2nd Battalion Manipur Rifles between 2016 and early part of 2017.It was also mentioned that in the course of investigation by the NIA, it was found that Saikul MLA Yamthong Haokip (who was arrested yesterday and taken into judicial remand in connection with the case) had provided some pistols to the KRA chairman David Hangshing.

The investigation established the complicity of David Hangshing in the act of undermining democratic process of the country and waging war against the State and based on such evidence, he was arrested from his residence yesterday.

During interrogation, David disclosed about a few of the missing pistols which he had kept hidden with him and accordingly the NIA recovered six missing 9mm pistols from a place about 20 Kms from Imphal.

The seized pistols were found to be from the lot of missing pistols and the serial numbers of five pistols matched with the serial numbers of the missing pistols.

One of the pistol's serial number had been erased.

After the investigation of the case was handed over to the NIA by an order of the Ministry of Home Affairs on May 31 this year, NIA re-registered an FIR at NIA Guwahati on next day (June 1) in connection with the missing of arms and ammunition from 2nd Manipur Rifles Arms Kote.

During the course of the investigation, NIA arrested 12 individuals, including KRA chairman David Hangshing and Saikul MLA Yamthong Haokip and haS recovered some of the missing arms from the possession of some of the arrested people.

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