Made in Italy pistol, gold, cash, startling recovery made by NIA at Congress MLA’s home

New Delhi, Aug 24: The National Investigation Agency carried out a major arrest in connection with the missing arms case reported at Manipur. A Congress MA Yamthung Haokip was arrested and it may be recalled that the agency had conducted a raid at his home last month, which led to some major seizures.

The NIA has been probing a case which pertains to theft of 56 Pistols and 58 Magazines from the DG Pool Armoury located within the premises of 2nd Manipur Rifles Battalion, Imphal. The above weapons went missing between 2016 and early 2017.

During investigation by NIA, one of the missing pistols, bearing no. 18506735 was recovered at Mantri Pukhri, Imphal on 30.07.2018 in the search conducted at the residence of Yamgthung Haokip MLA, Saikul Assembly Constituency besides other incriminating articles.

Other than the above recovery, during investigation, sufficient material and other evidences have been collected, which have established the complicity of MLA Yamthung Haokip in the above case.

Yamthung Haokip was arrested today (24th August 2018) for his involvement in procuring police pistols illegally and distributing them to different terrorist groups to wage war against the State.

What the NIA found at the MLA's home:

• Cash Rs. 26.40 lakhs (Indian Currency).
• Gold ornaments worth Rs. 20 lakhs.
• One 9mm pistol bearing no. 18506735 with magazine. The Pistol is one of the missing pistols stolen from DG pool within the premises of 2nd Manipur Rifles.
• One Beretta Pistol bearing no. DAA 462616, 3032 TOMCAT-32 Auto Made in the USA with magazine.
• One unlicensed 9mm Pietro Beretta Gardone V.T Pistol bearing MOD.9QFS-CAL .9 PARA BELLUM-PATENTED & K57398Z, Made in Italy, with magazine.
• One DBBL gun bearing no. 65330/05 having Licence no. L/981(KPI) renewed upto 31st December, 2014.
• One SBBL gun without any mark of identification (with licence issued by ADC Kangpokpi, Senapati Dist. vide letter no.1786/May.97/ Military. The gun no. as mentioned was issued against the Licence is 27734.
• 22 rounds of live ammunition of 0.32 pistol, 15 rounds of live ammunition of 9mm pistol, 04 rounds of live ammunition of 7.62 Rifle and 04 rounds of live ammunition of 7.62X39 (AK series).
• Stolen pistol, gold, cash, huge cache of arms and ammunition found at Congress MLA's house

What is the missing arms case:

The case dates back to 2014. The Manipur government had asked the NIA to probe the case in which 56 pistols disappeared from the police headquarters over a period of four years. The probe found that 56 auto 9 mm pistols along with 58 magazines were found missing from the state police headquarters - Arms Kote of 2nd Manipur Rifles, Imphal, - between 2014 and 2018.

Two employees of the 2nd MR were arrested in connection with the case. In 2016, four persons were arrested and one 9 mm auto pistol along with three magazines were seized.
The Manipur government had suspended four high-ranking police officials, including an IPS officer, in connection with the case of missing weapons from 2nd Manipur Rifles armoury between 2014 and 2018, an official statement has said.

Altogether, 56 auto 9 mm pistols along with 58 magazines were found missing when the commandant of 2nd Manipur Rifles recently conducted a routine examination of the arms corte (armoury).

The missing arms belonged to a batch of 570 pistols that were received by the state police headquarters in 2014 for supply to 2nd Manipur Rifles.

NIA investigation:

After the NIA took over the case, it conducted searches and even questioned several accused persons. During the interrogation of the accused, the name of the MLA cropped up, following which the raids were conducted.

An NIA official informed OneIndia that the raids were conducted on the basis of the statements given by the other accused. Till date, nine people have been arrested in the case and three 9mm pistols, out of the 56 missing pistols, have been recovered "from members of various militant groups of Manipur.