ED directed to de-freeze Salai's account
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, January 19 2024:
The Special Judge of PMLA Manipur has directed the Enforcement Directorate to de-freeze the bank account of Salai Agri Consortium Private Limited at State Bank of India.
The order was passed today after hearing the application filed by Elangbam Brojendro, Akoijam Deepanand, Narengbam Biswajit, Chingtham Shyamson Singh and Tourangbam Tikendra Singh representing the Salai Group of Companies and Smart Society as petitioners against the Directorate of Enforcement, Imphal Sub-Zonal Office.
The petitioners of the case are the Directors of Salai Group of Companies and executive members of Smart Society.
On October 30, 2019 a suo moto case was registered by Lamphel police station against Narengbam Samarjit and Yambem Biren for announcing separation of Manipur from India and formation of the Manipur State Council from London during which Samarjit declared himself external affairs and defence minister of Manipur State Council and Yambem Biren Singh as chief minister.
Later on, with the registration of the FIR, the investigating authority immediately sealed the company (Salai) building as well as its main office as part of the investigation.
The investigation team had also sealed the respective sub-offices situated in different places of Imphal.
During the course of investigation, the case was transferred to NIA, Guwahati.
NIA had submitted a chargesheet before the Special Judge, NIA, Manipur and framed charges against the five persons viz Narengbam Samarjit, Yambem Biren, Akoijam Deepanand, Elangbam Brojendro and Narengbam Biswajit.
However, out of five accused persons, three of them namely Akoijam Deepanand, Elangbam Brojendro Singh and Narengbam Biswajit Singh argued that they are nowhere related with the case.
In order to return the money borrowed by the Smart Society, the Board of Directors decided to sell some movable and immovable properties.
The application submitted mentioned that Rs 2,30,00,000 was transferred to the bank account of Salai Group of Companies on November 7, 2022 by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) through Manipur Cricket Association, Manipur to construct a cricket stadium in Imphal and as such a total amount of Rs 2,31,52,221.78 is lying as credit at the said bank account.
The Enforcement Director, however, froze the bank account of Salai claiming that the activities of Salai Group of Companies and Smart Society were illegal.
The Court after hearing the submission of petitioner's counsels, Special PP ED and on perusal of the material on record directed the relevant authority to de-freeze the bank account of Salai Agri Consortium Private Limited with a condition that Zima Bonds of Rs 3,00,00,000 with two sureties of the similar be furnished by at least two Government employees of Grade III .