NEW DELHI: The National Investigation Agency on Tuesday filed a charge-sheet against two separatist leaders from Manipur, who had in 2019 announced the launch of the "Manipur government-in-exile" and declared the state's independence from India, officials said.
Besides Yamben Biren and Narengbam Samarjit Singh, the agency filed the charge-sheet also against their associates Narengbam Biswajit Singh, Elangbam Brojendro Singh and Akoijam Deepa Anand, they said.
In 2019 at a press conference in London, Biren, claiming to be the "Chief Minister of Manipur State Council" and Narengbam Samarjit Singh, claiming to be the "Minister of External Affairs and Defence of Manipur State Council", had said they were speaking on behalf of the ''Maharaja of Manipur'' to formally launch the government-in-exile -- "The Manipur State Council".
The officials said that the five persons have been charged under the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
The charge-sheet was filed before a special NIA court in Imphal in Manipur on Tuesday.
"The case, filed at the Lamphel Police Station in Manipur's Imphal West on October 30, 2019, pertains to the declaration of independence of Manipur from India and formation of 'The Manipur State Council' at London by the self-styled external affairs and defence minister of so-called 'Manipur State Council' Narengbam Samarjit Singh and self-styled chief minister of Manipur State Council Yambem Biren," a National Investigation Agency (NIA) official said.
Narengbam Samarjit Singh, chairman and managing director of the Salai Group of Companies and SMART Society, colluded with Elangbam and Anand, and illegally collected huge amounts of money and cheated the public by taking deposits by offering 36 per cent annual returns on deposits made to the Salai Group and SMART Society without any legal authority, the official said.
The illegal funds were laundered by Narengbam Samarjit Singh and his associates through various companies of the Salai Group and SMART Society, the NIA official said.
The illegitimate funds were further utilised for unlawful activities like declaration of independence of Manipur from the Union of India and the formation of the "Manipur State Council", the official said.
It was also used for funding the "army" of the "Manipur State Council", the official said, adding that further investigation in the case continues.