Member of banned militant outfit held

A 27-year-old man, the alleged commander-in-chief and financial secretary of a banned militant outfit and wanted for his involvement in more than a dozen criminal cases in Manipur, was arrested by the special cell, police said on Friday.

A 27-year-old man, the alleged commander-in-chief and financial secretary of a banned militant outfit and wanted for his involvement in more than a dozen criminal cases in Manipur, was arrested by the special cell, police said on Friday.

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Ningthoujam Romen Singh, associated with the KCP (MC) — a faction of the banned organisation Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP) — was arrested from the Sarai Kale Khan ISBT on the request of Manipur Police on November 1, said Sanjeev Kumar Yadav, deputy commissioner of police (special cell).

"Singh had got two persons, Budhi Chandra and Ningthembi, both officials of the Takmu Water Sports Construction Project at Bishnupur in Manipur, abducted through his cadres and demanded a ransom of Rs. 2 crore for their release," DCP Yadav said.

It was only after sustained efforts, police claimed, that the abducted duo was rescued and the accused cadre arrested subsequently.

According to police, Singh was in contact with the commanders of another other banned outfit such as the United Revolutionary Front (URF) and had earlier been arrested in Meghalaya in 2008 for his involvement in terrorist activities.

"He has shifted his base to Agra but was still orchestrating kidnappings, attacks, the issuance of threats to government officials as well as the people of Manipur through his cadre as he accumulated huge amounts of money by way of ransom and extortion," Yadav said.

Wanted in at least 16 criminal cases, three of which were registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, five mobile phones, 16 SIM cards of various companies and states, two pen drives, a laptop and 15 demand letters on the letter head of KCP and issued under his name as finance secretary, have been recovered from Singh.