Meitei Society Demands Probe into Rs 320 Crore Land Compensation Scam and Termination of SoO with Kuki Militants

The Meitei Heritage Society has urgently called for a comprehensive investigation into an alleged Rs 320 crore land compensation scam perpetrated by the Kuki National Front (KNF), a militant group under the Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement with the Government of India.

A National media of repute, NDTV’s investigation has exposed the scam, revealing that KNF’s finance secretary, Jangboi Kipgen, allegedly coerced villagers into signing blank documents and pre-filled forms, diverting up to 75% of the compensation funds. The district’s deputy commissioner confirmed receiving complaints, and twenty villagers have publicly corroborated the allegations despite facing death threats, exposing the scam’s severity.

In a formal memorandum to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the society raised grave concerns over the misappropriation of public funds intended for civilians affected by land acquisition, alongside repeated violations of the SoO agreement by Kuki insurgent groups, which undermine national security and public trust. It also cautioned that renewing the agreement with KNF risks implicating the government in these illicit activities and legitimizing crimes by militant groups under investigation by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for attacks on civilians and security forces.

The letter submitted includes evidence of KNF’s role in such violence, emphasizing that continuing the SoO would disregard the sacrifices of India’s martyrs and the Manipur government’s stance. The Manipur government has repeatedly urged the joint monitoring group, which reviews the SoO annually, to permanently terminate the agreement due to allegations that SoO groups have been majorly involved in Manipur’s violence since the Manipur violence which began on 3 May 2023. Under the ground rules of SoO, militants are required to remain in designated camps with weapons secured in locked, jointly monitored storage—conditions that have been consistently violated.

Further, the NIA has documented multiple SoO violations by Kuki insurgent groups, heightening concerns. On June 9, 2025, the NIA arrested three insurgents, including Kamginthang Gangte of the Kuki National Army (KNA), for a January 2024 attack in Moreh, that killed two Manipur commandos. The NIA identified Thangminlen Mate, a member of the Kuki Inpi Tengnoupal, as a key orchestrator, arrested on May 19, 2025, in Silchar, Assam. This marked the second confirmed violation of SoO ground rules since May 2023, following a September 2024 clash in Jiribam where three Kuki Liberation Army (KLA) insurgents were killed.

Besides, a special NIA court recently accepted evidence of another violation involving a suspected Kuki militant commander, known as “Tiger,” from the Kuki National Front-P (KNF-P). The NIA presented a viral YouTube video showing the commander claiming responsibility for attacking Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel and burning homes in Manipur on November 11, 2024. The video, submitted on a pen drive under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), was returned to the NIA for further investigation. This incident coincided with three major escalations in Jiribam on the same day: the kidnapping and killing of six Meitei family members by suspected Kuki militants, the killing of ten Kuki militants in a CRPF encounter, and firing from hills toward Imphal West’s Kangchup and Koutruk, injuring two people.

The Meitei Heritage Society urged the Union Home Ministry to:

1. Launch a time-bound investigation into the Rs 320 crore scam to hold accountable all responsible parties, including militants and complicit officials.
2. Suspend discussions on renewing the SoO agreement and consider the Manipur government’s request to terminate it permanently due to repeated violations.
3. Freeze accounts linked to suspects or SoO funds until a comprehensive audit ensures public funds are not misused to support terrorism or separatism.

The society expressed confidence that the Ministry will address these serious allegations with urgency. The memorandum, copied to the Governor of Manipur, emphasizes the need for transparency, justice, and national security.

Signpost NewsDesk

Signpost News is an Imphal-based media house that focuses on delivering news and views from Northeast India and beyond.