Till the time of filing this report late in the evening, the search was on.
It could not be immediately ascertained if anything has been picked up during the search .
Earlier in the day, the permision of the Court came after an application was filed by the SDPO, Imphal police station, A Ghanashyam Sharma.
The Court also rejected the anticipatory bail filed by the counsel of MDS Administrative Officer, S Ranjit, today .
The Court registered the application prayer filed by the SDPO for issuing house search warrant under section 93 of CrPC .
The Court heard the submission of Additional PP of the State that the Joint Secretary/ Planning Department of Manipur, had asked for an inquiry on the financial irregularities in the MDS and the State Vigilance Department had initiated the inquiry .
The APP submitted that the inquiry report indicated that officials and staff of MDS had not observed the prescribed procedures, established norms, thereby facilitating misappropriation of Government funds totalling Rs 185.79 crore and prayed for issuing house search warrant against Yambem Ningthem (62) s/o (L) Tombi of Lamlongei Maning Leikai, Mantripukhri, in connection with the case .
The Court perused the application and issued the search warrant .
The prayer mentioned that the complainant of the case, Dr Th Muhindro, had filed a written complaint to SP, Imphal West, on September 1, stating that the State Vigilance Department initiated an inquiry on the financial irregularities in Manipur Development Society (MDS) after getting the necessary approval from the competent authority and the Vigilance Department had submitted the inquiry report along with the names of those who need to be examined .
The report stated that all necessary documents and relevant papers including MBs, DPRs and sanction papers, which are not available for scrutiny, need to be requisitioned from Y Ningthem Singh as he was the Director during the inquiry period and also stressed the need to verify and investigate the numerous bank accounts, particularly savings account opened in the name of MDS and operated solely by Ningthem or with his staff .
The police prayer mentioned that DS Poonia, who was the Chairman of MDS from 2009 to 2013 also requires examination and investigation in connection with the case .
The prayer also mentioned that former Chief Minister Okram Ibobi, who was the Chairman of MDS in 2013-2014, also required to be examined and to have his statement recorded.
The project taken up under his chairmanship and the transaction done by the MDS for various project works of Line Department during his tenure needs to be verified and studied and the prescribed procedure, established norms and extant rules for implementation of various projects by MDS and other Line Department are observed in public interest, it mentioned .
The Chairman of MDS, by virtue of his post, is the joint account holder and joint signatory.
The Project Director, MDS, alone is not competent to make any transaction, without the knowledge and consent of the Chairman.
Therefore it is assumed that the Chairman is bound to have knowledge of all transaction of MDS during his tenure, the prayer added .
The prayer stated that O Nabakishore, who was the Chairman of MDS from 2015 to July this year, is also required to be examined and his statement recorded and the projects taken up under his tenure need to be studied .
It stated that there may be instances where the cheques are countersigned by him as the Chairman of MDS and the Project Director alone cannot make any transaction .
The police prayer also mentioned all cheques of Agriculture, Handloom and General Administration of MDS will be signed by the Project Director and the Administration Officer and during inquiry it was learned that the cheques have been counter signed by S Ranjit, Administrative Officer of MDS and the Project Director .
On the other hand, the Court rejected the anticipatory bail plea filed by the counsel of S Ranjit .
The Court registered the bail application and found that the charges levelled against S Ranjit is criminal breach of trust, cheating, conspiracy and criminal misconduct by Public Servant, which are serious offences .
The Court accordingly rejected the bail application.
Source: The Sangai Express
