FIR lodged against former CM Ibobi, former Chief Secretaries for financial irregularities

Imphal, Sep 2: Manipur Police has lodged an FIR at Imphal Police station for alleged irregularities in functioning of Manipur Development Society (MDS) against former Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh, three former Chief Secretaries, DS Poonia, PC Lawmkunga and O Nabakishore Singh. FIR was also lodged against Y Ningthem Singh, former Project Director of MDS, and S Ranjit Singh Administrative Officer of MDS. Imphal West official informed that the FIR was lodged last night by the OC of Imphal Police Station, Inspector Ch Subol Singh . As per FIR No 244(9) 2017 the cases were filed under 420/406 / 120-B IPC and the period of investigation was between 30/6/2009 to 6/7/2017. The charges levelled against the named personalities include cheating, criminal conspiracy and breach of trust . The matter was a follow up of a probe by Vigilance Department . O. Ibobi Singh served as Chairman of MDS from 1/07/13 to 31/08/14 and he is required to be examined and also record his statement. The projects taken up during his Chairmanship and the transaction done by MDS for various projects of line department need to be examined it was added. The Planning Department also filed a report to the Imphal West SP as the probe was done as requested by the Planning department. It was alleged that Y. Ningthem Singh, (former Project Director, MDS) was the Project Director of MDS during the said period under enquiry. All the documents and relevant papers including those MBs, DPRs, Sanction papers, etc. which are not available for scrutiny at the moment at MDS Office need to be requisitioned from him. His statement is very much required to be recorded for the justice of the case. The various bank accounts particularly saving accounts opened in the name of MDS and singly operated by him or with his staffs needs to be verified and investigated for the purpose of their (Bank accounts) needs and intentions it was stated. D.S. Poonia, lAS (the then Chairman of MDS from 30/06/2009 to 30/06/2013) was involved as "in view of the need to exercise control over expenditure, all cheques of the society shall be countersigned by the Chairman, MDS". The Project Director, MDS alone is not competent to make any transaction, without the knowledge & consent of the Chairman, therefore it is assumed that the Chairman is bound to have knowledge of all transactions of MDS during his tenure of Chairmanship, The submission also said that the two other Chairpersons, PC Lawmkunga and O Nabakishore too need to be examined and their statements recorded to check if there were any procedural lapses, financial misappropriation, cheques countersigned etc . On the need to examine Administrative Officer S Ranjit Singh, the OC said that former Project Director Y Ningthem in an order dated August 23, 2014 had stated that all cheques of agriculture and handloom and general administration of MDS will be signed by the Project Director and the Administrative Officer . Doubts have been raised that certain procedure and extant norms have been overlooked with predisposed mind causing loss to the Government exchequer, it added . The OC further said that an inquiry report also indicates that the officials and staff of MDS had not observed prescribed procedures, established norms and extant rules, works awarded to agencies without work agreements and added that the total liabilities to MDS is Rs 185.79 crore . Officials of line departments too need to be examined and their statements recorded as per the projects entrusted to MDS by them, said the submission though no names have been named due to paucity of time. Certain persons who can be influential in MDS should be examined. The six named persons therefore need to be thoroughly investigated, it added. UNI