IMPHAL: Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Friday said nine persons have been detained in connection with a major scam involving the issuance of counterfeit Inner Line Permit (ILP) cards.
Acting on specific inputs, the state police conducted raids across five locations and seized nearly 3,500 fake ILP labour permits.
The raids were conducted at a computer centre in Namdulong, a mobile repair shop in Kakulong, a mobile shop in Thangal Bazar, a computer centre near the Babupara DC Bungalow, and a reception counter at a laboratory centre on RIMS road.
Speaking on the ILP system, the chief minister said the ILP system is crucial for safeguarding Manipur’s indigenous population.
Singh said it was a gift from the Centre to protect the indigenous people of the state. Unfortunately, some people are misusing the ILP system by issuing fake cards, he said.
The investigation revealed that unauthorized individuals were managing sensitive tasks typically handled by District Commissioners and Labour Commissioners.
“It has come to light that unauthorized personnel were also handling these sensitive matters,” the Manipur CM said.
Following the incident, the state government has set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to conduct a thorough probe. Besides, alerts have been issued to all police stations to arrest holders of counterfeit ILP cards.
The chief minister also announced plans to streamline the ILP issuance process and enforce stricter measures at all ILP checkpoints in the state.
