IMPHAL, Nov 22 - The CBI today conducted raids at six locations, including the private residence and official quarters of former Manipur Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh at Thoubal and Imphal, in connection with a multi-crore-rupee embezzlement case in the Manipur Development Society.
In the CBI raids that took place around 7.30 am, a team searched Ibobi Singh�s official quarters at Babupara here. Another team raided his private residence at Thoubal Athokpam Makha Leikai in Thoubal district.
The former Chief Minister is currently in New Delhi, leading a delegation of State Congress MLAs to press the Centre to disclose details of the Naga peace talks as well as to mobilise opinion against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.
The CBI teams conducted the raids in connection with the case relating to alleged misappropriation of Rs 332 crore from the Manipur Development Society during Ibobi Singh�s tenure as its chairman.
The alleged misappropriation of funds came to light after the State Planning Department approached the State Vigilance Department for an enquiry on financial irregularities in the Manipur Development Society.
On the basis of the report submitted by the Vigilance Department, the then OC of the Imphal Police Station registered an FIR against six individuals. During the investigation, the OC had stated that former Chief Minister Ibobi Singh should be examined and his statement should be recorded as he was the chairman of the Manipur Development Society from July 1, 2013 to August 31, 2014.
The police probe reportedly discovered that officials and staff of the Manipur Development Society did not follow the prescribed procedures and rules, and that works were awarded to agencies without agreements.
A PTI report from New Delhi adds: The CBI carried out searches at nine locations in three cities after filing a case against former Manipur Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh and others for allegedly misappropriating Rs 332 crore from development funds in Manipur, officials said on Friday.
During searches at Singh�s residence,�the CBI recovered Rs�11.47 lakh in cash and Rs 26.49 lakh in old demonetised currency, which is also a crime and may lead to penalty of five times the recovered currency, they said.
The agency searched the residences of Singh and former IAS officers, who were part of the Manipur Development Society (MDS), in Aizawl, Imphal and Gurgaon, they said.
Some branded items and eight luxury cars of Audi, Mitsubishi, Honda and Hyundai were also found during the searches at Singh�s residence, they said.
The CBI has registered the case on the request of the Manipur Government routed through the Centre.
Along with Singh, the CBI has also named three former MDS chairmen � DS Poonia, PC Lawmuknga, O Nabakishore Singh � all retired IAS officers. Y Ningthem Singh, former Project Director of the Society, and S Ranjit Singh, its administrative officer, have also been named in the FIR.
The CBI also recovered Rs 10 lakh of old currency�from Ningthem Singh and documents of two palatial houses in Imphal, sources said. The agency also found property and bank documents at the residences of Poonia, Lawmkunga and Nabakishore Singh.
