Imphal drug haul: Ex-Army man remanded to custody

, March 9: All the seven, including colonel-ranked former defence PRO Ajay Choudhury arrested in connection with

seizure case, were remanded to police and judicial custody by a special Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances court in Imphal.

As per the court order on Saturday the seven men would be remanded to police custody till March 12 and then to judicial custody till March 22 following applications from investigating officer (police) and public prosecutor.

The court allowed the public prosecutor's plea to re-arrest and remand them in police custody till March 12 and then to judicial custody till March 22.

The investigating officer, too, sought their further remand to police custody for further investigation.

There was no counsel for the accused.

FIRs were registered against the seven under sections 21 and 29 of the NDPS Act.

Section 21 of the Act provides for punishment for contravention in relation to manufactured drugs and preparations.

The convicted is punishable with rigorous imprisonment for a term of not less than 10 years and liable to be fined not less than Rs. one lakh. Section 29 provides for punishment for abetment and criminal conspiracy.

Six persons including Choudhury, his assistant RK Babalu and assistant manager of IndiGo airlines Ngairangbam Brojendro were arrested on February 24 by Manipur police for possessing illicit drugs worth Rs. 15 crore from Pallel area in Manipur's Thoubal district.

The drugs were meant to be smuggled out to Myanmar.

Sheikholen Haokip, son of congress MLA TN Haokip, was arrested on February 26 from his house near Imphal following the interrogation of the six men.

Social organisations had demanded punishment of those involved in the illegal drug trafficking in the state.

PTI