CBI grills retd IAS officer in Manipur graft case

The CBI questioned O. Naba Kishore Singh, then Chairman of the Manipur Development Society. During the questioning, the central agency team asked Naba Kishore Singh about the misappropriation of funds and the projects sanctioned, when he was the MDS Chairman.

New Delhi/Imphal: A day after questioning former Manipur Chief Minister O. Ibobi Singh in connection with Rs 332 crore misappropriation case, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday questioned O. Naba Kishore Singh, then Chairman of the Manipur Development Society (MDS).

The retired IAS officer was questioned by the CBI team led by Joint Director N.M. Singh, who reached Imphal on Tuesday for questioning the former Chief Minister and others. During the questioning that started around 11.30 a.m at the CBI office in Imphal, the central agency team asked Naba Kishore Singh about the misappropriation of funds and the projects sanctioned, when he was the MDS Chairman.

According to CBI sources, the agency also examined a few more people in connection with the case.

During his tenure as the MDS Chairman from June 2009 to July 2017, it's alleged, the former Chief Minister conspired and misappropriated Rs 332 crore of the Rs 518 crore government fund entrusted to the MDS for development works.

Three former MDS Chairmen -- D.S. Poonia, P.C. Lawmuknga and O. Nabakishore Singh (all retired IAS officers) -- have also been named in the CBI FIR along with Singh.

Y. Ningthem Singh, former MDS project director and S. Ranjit Singh, its administrative officer, also figure in the FIR.

The CBI took over the case on November 20, 2019 on the BJP government's request and after the permission of the central government started the investigation.

(IANS Report)