The chief of Manipur's proscribed Kangliepak Communist Party and two more members of the outfit were arrested today by Delhi Police's Special Cell separately from the national capital and Manipur.
Khoirom Ranjit aka Rocky aka Great Macha (35), the self-styled Commander-in-Chief of KCP-Poirei Meitei, and his female partner Inugbam Sanatombi Devi (26) were arrested by a team of the Special Cell from near Sanjay Lake in East Delhi, while their associate Pukhrihongbam Ibomcha was arrested hours later in Manipur.
"They are involved in large number of cases of terror activities like lobbing of grenades, shoot-outs, killings, planting of bombs, running extortion network by intimidating businessmen and politicians," said DCP (Special Cell) Sanjeev Kumar Yadav.
Ranjit and Sanatombi Devi had come to meet an associate in Delhi when they were arrested, the officer said, adding that 100-150 mobile SIM cards and laptops were recovered from them.
Sources said the duo had visited Delhi a couple of times in the last one year.
Police said Ranjit had close relations with Congress MLA from Andro constituency in Manipur Thounaojam Shyamkumar Singh, who was arrested in 2006 by the Special Cell from Delhi Airport, along with two members of Manipur-based insurgent group United National Liberation Front.
Singh was arrested when he was about to board a flight to Kathmandu where a meeting of various insurgent groups was scheduled. Laptops and documents were recovered from them.
The MLA was lodged in Tihar jail and had fought and won elections while he was lodged in Tihar Jail. He was acquitted of the charges in 2012 but police have appealed against his acquittal in the Delhi High Court and the matter is sub-judice.
A close aide of the MLA is alleged to have been involved in collecting money from businessmen and politicians on behalf of Ranjit.
In November, Manipur Police informed their counterparts here about the presence Ranjit in Delhi. Sources were deployed and technical surveillance was mounted to apprehend him.
Ranjit was planning to set up a base in Delhi to carry out their activities in Manipur as he felt that in Delhi, they could remain in anonymity and carry out their work, the sources said.
As Manipur goes to polls in March, Ranjit was planning to intensify his activities and he thought Delhi would serve as a base from where he could keep a watch on Manipur, they added.
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