Chargesheet against UNLF

PANKAJ SARMA

Guwahati, Mar 7 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) filed a supplementary chargesheet in a case registered against the Manipur-based militant group United National Liberation Front (UNLF) at the NIA special court here today.

Official sources said six persons have been named in the chargesheet.

“Three of the accused against whom the supplementary chargesheet was filed today are absconding while the remaining three are currently in judicial custody,” a source said.

Three of those chargesheeted — Y. Brojobidhu Singh, N. Bomi Singh, A. Ibomcha Singh — were lodged in Guwahati Central Jail following their arrest from Manipur in January this year.

These three were office-bearers of a registered society called the Association for Extensive Growers Innovative Service (AEGIS) in Manipur, where the UNLF had allegedly invested the money they had extorted from individuals and business houses.

The three absconding accused against whom the chargesheet was filed today are N. Nardip Singh alias Thabal, C.H. Tanil alias Nabachandra and L. Iwanthaba alias Nanao Singh.

The source said Thabal, who is the general secretary of the UNLF, is hiding somewhere in Nepal.

“According to intelligence inputs, Nabachandra, who was the staff officer of UNLF chairman R.K. Meghen, is now in Bangladesh,” he said.

The source said Nanao Singh was arrested here earlier in connection with a case registered at Panbazar police station but he went into hiding after jumping bail. “He is believed to have fled to Myanmar,” he added.

The NIA had filed the first chargesheet in this case on February 14, 2011 against 19 persons, including Meghen.

The NIA had taken over the case (number 10/10), which was initially registered by Assam police at Noonmati police station here, following an order from the Union home ministry in September 2010.

The UNLF is one of the oldest and most dreaded insurgent outfits of Manipur. Formed in 1964 to fight for the state’s liberation from India, the group is estimated to have 5,000 cadres.

“The NIA had filed its first chargesheet on February 14, 2011, before the completion of its investigation with whatever evidence it had in hand to ensure that the court does not grant bail to the accused persons on the ground that the investigation agency had failed to file the chargesheet within the stipulated 90 days,” the source said.

“After filing the first chargesheet, the NIA continued its investigation and filed the supplementary chargesheet today, which will further consolidate the case. More substantiating evidence has been included in the supplementary chargesheet against the illegal and anti-national activities being carried out by the UNLF,” he added.