MLA's son arrested in connection with drug haul case

The son of a Manipur MLA was arrested near here today in connection with the incident in which a Colonel-rank Defence PRO and five others were held for allegedly transporting illicit drugs estimated at over Rs 24 crore for smuggling to Myanmar, police said.

Seikholen Haokip, the son of a ruling Congress MLA, was arrested from his house at Deulaland near here in connection with the drug haul, SP (Thoubal district) A K Jhaljit said.
Four bundles of contraband were recovered from his house during a police raid.

Haokip would be produced before Chief Judicial Magistrate (Thoubal) for further remand in police custody.

The arrest of Haokip followed intense interrogation of Colonel Ajay Chaudhury, his assistant R K Babalu, assistant manager of Indigo airlines Ngairangbam Brojendro Singh and three others - Haopu Haokip, Ningthang Doungel and Minlal Haokip, who were arrested on February 24 near Pallel police outpost on their way to border town of Moreh, about 120 km from here.

Sources said Chaudhury had told his interrogators that he was not involved in the case and that he felt "cheated" by some persons known to him.