Imphal, December 04 2010: Police detained three officers of the Horticulture Department after authority suspended them for allegedly involvement in the fraudulent withdrawal of ' 3.15 crores from government account in the name of giving compensations of land affected in the expansion of Imphal airport.

Deputy director of Horticulture, Ningthoujam Ibochouba (59) of Singjamei Thokchom Leikai, AO Ngangbam Kullachandra (56) of Top Awang Leikai and AAO Toijam Robindro were suspended from their services today.

They have been kept detained by Singjamei police.

A source said that they were suspended following an instruction from the Chief Minister today.

A departmental inquiry against them has also been ordered, the source added.

The source said that after the government completed payment of compensation for the land acquired by the government for the expansion of Imphal airport, complaints of non receipt of compensation money was lodged with the Imphal West DC.

The DC put up the complaints to the notice of the state government.

The government later paid the compensation money after estimating the area of the land and standing properties of the land owners.

Earlier officials of the concerned departments had conducted a field survey for the affected land and the amount of the standing properties that were affected in the acquisition of the land and submitted a report to the state government for payment of compensations.

Horticulture Department had submitted an estimated amount of ' 3.15 crore valued for horticultural plants that were to be affected when the lands were taken over.

Doubting the estimated amount, Chief Minister asked Works minister, K Ranjit, Education minister L Jayentakumar and Imphal West DC to make a re-survey with regard to the estimate put up by the horticulture department, the source said.

The team conducted the survey as per advice of the Chief Minister.

However, they could not find out the horticulture plants included in the list submitted by horticulture department.

Chief Minister after getting the report from his survey team immediately asked the higher authority of the concerned department and minister advising them to take action against the officials who had put up the proposal.

As per the advise of the Chief Minister, horticulture department issued suspension orders of the three officials who had fraudulently prepared the list of the plants and the amount needed for compensation.

The department's higher authority handed them over to the Singjamei police station.

Police source, however said that even though the three officials have been picked up no FIR has been registered against them till late this evening.

They picked them up only on the instructions of their higher officer.

They could not confirm whether a case will be registered against them or not.

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