Congress MLA Yamthong Haokip remanded in judicial custody for 15 days
Source: IT News

Imphal, August 24 2018: Congress MLA from Saikul Assembly Constituency Yamthang Haokip has been remanded in judicial custody for 15 days after being produced to NIA special court today afternoon.

The MLA has been under NIA scanner in connection with the missing of huge consignment of arms from the armoury.

NIA had raided the residence of MLA Yamthong Haokip on July 30, 2018.The NIA recovered one of the missing pistol bearing no.18506735 .

Altogether 56 numbers of 9mm pistols along with 59 magazines went missing from the armoury of the 2nd MR Garrison.

The missing weapons were part of the consignment of 570 9mm pistols purchased by the government of Manipur on September 11, 2014, for use by the state's security forces.

The incident came to light on March 30 this year after the commandant of the battalion had examined the holdings of arms and ammunitions.

Soon after the incident came to light, the state government arrested five individuals including a Kuki militant and two personnel of the 1st Manipur Rifle.

Taking serious note of the case, chief minister, N.Biren Singh, announced to hand over the case to the NIA terming as a breach of National security.

Yesterday the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has recovered nine 9 MM pistols which were stolen from the 2nd MR Battalion Manipur from the house of Soson Haokip who is the chief of the armed rebel group United Kuki Liberation Front (UKLF) .

Investigation established that some of the Pistols were handed over to one Soson Haokip the Chief of UKLF.

Searches were conducted at the residential premises of Soson Haokip at Mantri Pukhuri, Imphal and at his farm house at Palell by NIA teams.

The Pistols are believed to be from the same lot that went missing from the Police armoury at Imphal.

The search is still on.

Till now, total 14 numbers of Pistols have been recovered from different accused persons.

Yamthong Haokip a sitting MLA of the Indian National Congress was first elected as a member of the Manipur Legislative Assembly from Saikul constituency in Kangpokpi District from the Congress Party in 2012 and re-elected again with the same party ticket in 2017 .

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