Three persons, who were arrested in Delhi, for making fake calls and demanding money from leaders and MLAs in Manipur, were brought to Imphal on Tuesday to initiate further legal action, an official said.
A Manipur Police official said that the department undertook an investigation and legal action as well after fraudulent telephone calls were received by some MLAs and leaders including state assembly Speaker Thokchom Satyabrata Singh, attempting to influence and mislead the legislators by exploiting the ongoing political situation in the state.
Police have received complaints on February 14 about fraudulent calls from unknown persons attempting to influence and mislead MLAs of the state by utilising the current political situation in the state.
“An FIR has been registered in Imphal police station on February 15 under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Police then started taking necessary legal action. It is hereby warned that those involved in such fraudulent activities would face strict and strong legal consequences,” the official told the media.
He said that an intensive investigation is underway in full swing.
The scamsters reportedly have demanded Rs 4 crore for ministerial posts.
Media reports said that, in a similar nature of crime, a 19-year-old man identified as Priyanshu Pant who allegedly impersonated Jay Shah and sought Rs 5 lakh from Uttarakhand BJP MLA Adesh Chauhan (legislator from Haridwar’s Ranipur) was arrested from Delhi.
After interrogating Pant, two more accused were also arrested in the national capital.
Besides demanding Rs 5 lakh from Chauhan, the three accused also attempted to extort money from two other Uttarakhand legislators by promising to make them ministers.
The media report said that Chauhan received a call from an unknown number on February 16 evening and the caller identified himself as Jay Shah.
The caller asked for a Rs 5 lakh payment to the party fund.
Immediately after the call, one of Chauhan’s associates lodged a complaint with the police, who immediately launched an investigation. After raiding several locations the trio were arrested in Delhi with the help of the record of mobile phones used in the crime.
Manipur police have been probing whether these three accused are also involved in the fake telephone calls to the state MLAs and leaders.
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