Manipur police have arrested three teenagers from Uttarakhand on the charge of impersonating Jay Shah, son of Union home minister Amit Shah, and promising several MLAs the chief minister’s post in lieu of money in the northeastern state.
The police on Wednesday said the trio called up a few Manipur MLAs in February following the resignation of then chief minister N. Biren Singh and introduced themselves as Jay before demanding a huge sum of money for being considered for the chief minister’s post.
The arrested teenagers, identified as Uvaish Ahmed, Gaurav Nath and Priyansu Pant, were arrested in connection with the two FIRs registered at the Imphal police station in February.
They were produced in the court of the chief judicial magistrate, Imphal West, on Wednesday. The court remanded them to six days’ police custody.
The police had initiated the investigation into the fake calls based on a complaint lodged on February 15 by BJP MLA Khongkham Robindro Singh whose cousin had received a call from Uvaish’s mobile. The caller had identified himself as Jay and said Singh was being considered for the chief minister’s post.
Manipur shutdown
The ongoing indefinite shutdown in Manipur continued to affect life in Kuki-Zo areas with Kangpokpi remaining shut for the fourth day on Wednesday.
The shutdown was called in protest against the Centre’s decision to resume bus service between the valley and the hill from March 8, which led to violent clashes between the protestors and security forces soon after the Imphal-Senapati bus entered Kangpokpi, resulting in the death of one protester. As many as 26 security personnel and 16 protesters were injured. The situation remains tense.
During talks with the home ministry team in Churachandpur on Tuesday evening, Kuki-Zo leaders had conveyed that “peace cannot be imposed” in the strife-hit state.
They also underscored the need for “a pact on cessation of hostilities between the warring communities” before pushing for free movement between the hill and the valley, reflecting the divide and distrust the over-22-month-old conflict between the Meiteis and the Kuki-Zos has created.
Sources said the home ministry team told the Kuki-Zo leaders that the Centre was working on an action plan to restore peace.
The negotiations in Churachandpur came a day after inconclusive talks between the Committee on Tribal Unity (Cotu) and the Kangpokpi district administration to resolve the shutdown impasse.
The decision to resume bus service was taken at a security review meeting chaired by the home minister on March 1. The move was opposed by the Kuki-Zo organisations from the outset.
