Cases of alleged corruption and crime have caught up with a few candidates in Manipur where Assembly elections are scheduled on February 28 and March 5.
The National People’s Party (NPP) dropped one of its candidates, Sapam Kangleipal, after finding out that 24 FIRs are registered against him. The cases pertain to cyber terrorism, attempt to murder, membership to a terrorist organisation, criminal intimidation and conspiracy.
Mr. Kangleipal was in the NPP’s first list of candidates and was fielded from the Lamlai seat. He will not be contesting as an independent candidate. “The charges against me are for being a member of a revolutionary group. No charges have been framed against me and I have not been convicted,” he said.
A few days ago, the High Court of Manipur stayed the integrity certificate issued by the State Vigilance Department on December 13, 2021, to IAS officer Dinganglung Gangmei. He took voluntary retirement from service on January 11 to contest the Assembly polls from the Nungba seat on a Bharatiya Janata Party ticket. The court issued an interim order to the department to not proceed with the IAS officer’s resignation process until further orders. The BJP has not reacted to the development.
The Manipur Lokayukta had earlier asked the State government to register a case against Mr. Gangmei and 21 others for alleged involvement in the misappropriation of ₹18 crore meant for beneficiary schemes in a tribal council. The past week also saw an independent candidate being arrested in an unspecified case and was later released on bail. Abujam Umapada Luwang, who was a BJP ticket aspirant for the Jiribam seat, said he was a victim of a conspiracy by his rivals to prevent him from contesting. Of the 173 candidates in the fray across the 38 constituencies in the first phase, 31 have declared criminal cases pending against them.
