On the 18th of December, a special PMLA court took cognisance of a chargesheet submitted by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering case against two arrested cadres identified as Thokchom Gyaneshor alias Thoiba/Sidabamapu and Laimayum Anand Sharma alias Ingba of the United National Liberation Front (UNLF), Manipur’s outlawed terrorist group.
In a statement, ED said that a chargesheet was filed against Thokchom Gyaneshor and Laimayum Anand Sharma. It added that on Wednesday, December 18, a PMLA court took cognisance of the chargesheet filed.
The duo was arrested by the ED on the 16th of October and are currently in judicial custody. The UNLF was created in 1964 with the goal of gaining Manipur’s ‘independence’ from India.
According to the ED, Gyaneshor is the outfit’s self-proclaimed “Chief of Army Staff” and “Secretary, External and Regional Affairs Department”. Sharma is the UNLF’s self-proclaimed “Intelligence Officer”.
The money laundering case originates from a July 2023 FIR and two chargesheets filed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) earlier this year. The case pertains to a “trans-national conspiracy” hatched by Myanmar-based leadership of terror outfits active in the northeastern states to exploit ethnic unrest in Manipur, “wage war” against the Indian government, and carry out terrorist attacks, thereby exacerbating the security situation in Manipur.
“ED initiated investigation on the basis of an FIR No Rc-23/2023/NIA/DLI Dated 19.07.2023 and Chargesheet No. 05/2024 dated 07.03.2024 and Supplementary Chargesheet No. SCS-05(A)/2024 dated 30.07.2024 filed by National Investigating Agency (NIA) related to transnational conspiracy hatched by Myanmar-based leadership of terror outfits operationally active in the North Eastern States to exploit the ethnic unrest in the state of Manipur to wage war against Government of India and execute terrorist attacks thereby exacerbating the security situation in Manipur. NIA has invoked Sections 120 B, 121 A and 411 of IPC, 1860; Sections 17, 18, 18A, 18B, 20, 38, and 39 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 and Section 25 of the Arms Act, 1959 which are scheduled offences under PMLA 2002,” the Enforcement Directorate said.
The investigation revealed that UNLF cadres collected huge funds from the public and business people in Manipur by threatening them, as well as by illegally extorting toll taxes on several national highways.
“During the course of PMLA investigation, it was revealed that huge funds are raised/ collected by cadres of UNLF from the general public and business persons of Manipur by threatening them, by way of unauthorized collection/extortion of toll taxes at various National Highways etc. Cadres of UNLF also carry illegal weapons while making such demands so as to threaten the general public. The funds raised through collection/extortion were collected in cash to escape the scrutiny of Law Enforcement Authorities,” the Enforcement Directorate said in its statement.
“The said funds were raised by UNLF as a part of larger conspiracy which were utilized in a planned manner on recruitment and training of UNLF cadres, acquisition of illegal arms and ammunition, arranging logistics and maintenance of the organization and its camps as well as individual expenses of cadre. Analysis of digital devices seized from the above mentioned accused persons revealed that they were actively involved in raising of funds, preparation of budget and acquisition of illegal arms,” ED added.
