Army Colonel arrested with drugs worth Rs 15 crore

A colonel of the Indian Army and five others were on Sunday arrested by the Manipur police in Chandel district, after they were allegedly caught carrying illicit drugs valued at Rs 15 crore meant to be smuggled out to Myanmar, in one of the biggest such seizures in the state.

The contraband was found inside three vehicles at Pallel, the state police said in Imphal, adding they had taken into custody Defence Public Relations Officer Ajay Chaudhary, his assistant R K Babalu and IndiGo assistant manager Brojendro Singh, besides three others.

"Colonel Ajay Chaudhary has been arrested this morning by the Manipur police along with five other persons. We have been made to believe that certain contrabands have been recovered," army spokesperson Colonel Jagdeep Dahiya said in Delhi.

The army promised strict disciplinary action if any personnel was found involved in the case.

"We would like to state that if he is found guilty as per the law of the land, strict disciplinary action will be taken against him," Dahiya said, adding, "We will get involved in the process when we are formally approached".

The six were interrogated at the Pallel police station, nearly 45 kms south-east of Imphal, said the police, adding that a case has been registered and they will be taken to Kakshing police station in Thoubal district.

The drugs included tablets of Respifed, Omkop, Hilcold, Polyfed and Actidin and were worth Rs 15 crore, they said, adding it was one of the biggest drug hauls in the state.