Drug kingpins in Manipur have ties to politicians, Delhi-based tribal body tells Supreme Court
The Hindu
Kuki-Zomi-Hmar bodies have been supporting the Manipur Government’s campaign to clear poppy fields in the hill districts of the State, a body of Manipuri tribals in Delhi has submitted before the Supreme Court of India, alleging that the drug trade in the State is largely controlled by a nexus of drug kingpins who are close to top politicians.
Kuki-Zomi-Hmar bodies, representing the different tribes, have been supporting the Manipur Government’s campaign to clear poppy fields in the hill districts of the State, a body of Manipuri tribals in Delhi has submitted before the Supreme Court of India, alleging that the drug trade in the State is largely controlled by a nexus of drug kingpins who are close to top politicians.
In an Interlocutory Application (IA) filed by the Manipur Tribal Forum Delhi (MTFD) before the Supreme Court, the body also argued that the State Government had been seen allegedly thwarting attempts to uncover this nexus, and sought that investigative reports prepared by a senior police officer in this regard be brought on record.
The MTFD filed the fresh IA on June 9 in matters related to the ethnic violence underway in Manipur.
The State has been gripped by ethnic clashes between the dominant Valley-based Meitei people and the Scheduled Tribe (ST) hill-based Kuki-Zomi people since May 3, after a protest against ST status for Meiteis saw violence begin in Churachandpur district. At least a hundred people have been killed so far, hundreds more injured, and tens of thousands have been internally displaced since.
In their fresh application, the MTFD said that in the last decade or so, “powerful drug mafias” had taken over the drug trade in Manipur. “Without specifically naming the drug lords or the communities they come from, and only by way of a sample, one prominent drug lord is a relative of the former Chief Minister of Manipur. The other prominent drug lord is a relative of the present Chief Minister,” the MTFD submitted.
The MTFD added that a former Additional Superintendent of Police in Manipur, Brinda Thongnoujam, had conducted a detailed investigation into this alleged nexus, for which she was awarded a Gallantry Award in 2018. The application added that Ms. Thongnoujam had also submitted several reports to the State Government “describing in detail the powerful persons and politicians behind the drug trade in Manipur”, but that the case resulted in an acquittal, following which she returned her award.
These reports prepared by Ms. Thongnoujam is what the MTFD is now seeking to submit before the top court.
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