The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case against O. Ibobi Singh, the former state chief of the militancy-hit Manipur state, retired top administrative officer D. S. Poonia, and several others for misappropriating funds worth $47 million dollars approximately (INR Rs.332 crore).
According to a senior CBI officer, it was alleged that the accused, while working as chairman of the Manipur Development Society from 30 June 2006 to July 2017, in conspiracy with others, misappropriated government funds to the tune of $47 million dollars approx. (INR Rs.332 crore) out of a total amount of $73 million dollars approximately (INR 518 crore) that had been entrusted to them for the purpose of executing works.
“Following the complaint, several teams are carrying out searches at nine locations including Aizawl, Imphal, and Gurgaon in the case of misappropriation of government funds. We can’t reveal the names of the people whose premises were raided as the case is under investigation", the officer said.
The CBI has registered a case against former Manipur Chief Minister O. Ibobi Singh, who was the then chairman of the Manipur Development Society (MDS), Y. Ningthem Singh, former project director of MDS, D.S. Poonia, IAS (Retd), the then chairman of MDS, P.C. Lawmuknga, IAS (Retd), the then chairman of MDS, O. Nabakishore Singh, IAS (Retd), S. Ranjit Singh, an administrative officer at MDS, and others at the request of the Manipur government and further notification from the central government.
Manipur is a militancy infested state where the polity has remained polarised along ethnic lines. The north-eastern state has been facing ethnic conflict for decades, while in recent years tribes like the Paite, Vaiphei, and Hmars have also launched their own terrorist groups.