New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has accused a BJP MLA in Manipur of criminal conspiracy in a chargesheet filed in a case related to the Manipur University, a Central government entity.
The chargesheet, filed by the Imphal branch of the Central probe agency on September 21, reportedly stated that the BJP MLA Lourembam Rameshwor cheated the university as the owner of a private firm – along with its manager Kshetrimayum Joykumar Singh, and three university employees – K. Jibankumar Singh, K. Basanta Singh and N. Tejebndro Singh – during 2012-2016.
In 2017, L. Rameshwor had bagged the BJP ticket to contest the assembly polls and won from the Keirao assembly constituency. The BJP went on to form a coalition government in the northeastern state.
An Imphal Free Press report quoting “highly placed sources” said that the CBI “has established beyond doubt” that the accused persons “entered into a criminal conspiracy with each other” to cheat the university.
According to a Hill Times report, K. Jibankumar Singh, who was then the finance officer of the university, was suspended in the case that involved alleged swindling of around Rs 75 lakh. As per that news report, “They had falsely shown receipt of the furniture items (to be placed at the international guest house of the university) in full quantities in the stock register on October 7, 2014 and the entire bill amount was falsely claimed by M/S Lourembam Enterprise [which is owned by the BJP MLA].”
The accused have been issued a summons by the court of the special judge (Prevention of Corruption Act) at Imphal West district for October 12.