Investigations under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act revealed payments were cleared for furniture that was never delivered, exposing systemic corruption within the institution.
BY PC Bureau
October 9: A major corruption scandal has surfaced at Manipur University, with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) uncovering an alleged embezzlement of ₹74 lakh meant for furniture procurement. The agency has provisionally attached immovable assets worth approximately ₹71 lakh belonging to senior university officials and a contractor, signaling a widening investigation into what officials describe as “systemic misuse of institutional funds.”
The investigation stems from an FIR filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) through its Imphal Anti-Corruption Branch, which found that a section of the university administration, in collusion with a private contractor, conspired to defraud the institution. The CBI’s findings prompted the ED to initiate proceedings under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, to trace and recover proceeds of the alleged crime.
According to the ED proceedings, university officials approved payments for furniture that was never supplied. The funds—amounting to ₹74,01,978—were siphoned off under falsified documentation and dubious tenders. The agency found that while the payments were processed and cleared, the furniture never reached the university premises.
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In a statement, the ED confirmed that it had attached three immovable assets linked to the accused individuals. These include a residential property worth ₹23.95 lakh in the name of Konsam Ongbi Satyabati, wife of Konsam Jeevan Kumar Singh, who served as the university’s Finance Officer during the period of the alleged fraud. The other two properties—valued at ₹48 lakh—are agricultural lands owned by L. Rameshwar Meetei, a contractor and now MLA from the Keirao Assembly constituency, and his company, M/s Laurembam Enterprises.
The Alleged Conspiracy
Investigations revealed that senior university officials—identified as Basant Singh, K. Jeeban Kumar, N. Tejendra Singh, and former Vice-Chancellor Prof. H.N.K. Sarma—allegedly abused their official positions to favor Rameshwar in contract awards. The contracts, intended for furnishing the university’s International Guest House, were reportedly granted in violation of Rule 148 of the General Financial Rules (GFR), which mandates open competition and transparent bidding in public procurement.
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The ED’s findings further point to deliberate manipulation of tender procedures, approval notes, and inspection reports to justify payments. In total, contractor Rameshwar raised bills worth ₹64.36 lakh and claimed an additional ₹9.65 lakh as installation charges—despite no delivery of furniture or evidence of installation.
Fabricated Fire Cover-Up
Perhaps most shockingly, investigators discovered an alleged attempt to cover up the fraud. University records claimed that the furniture in question had been destroyed in a fire that broke out in the recreation hall. However, the ED concluded that the fire narrative was fabricated and used as a pretext to conceal the absence of the furniture that had never been supplied in the first place.
The agency also noted that the fire incident report lacked any supporting documentation from fire services or insurance claims, reinforcing suspicions that it was staged after the financial irregularities came under scrutiny.
The case has sent shockwaves through Manipur’s academic and administrative circles, raising questions about accountability and oversight in one of the state’s premier educational institutions. Sources within the ED indicated that this may not be an isolated incident, and that similar patterns of financial irregularities could emerge as the investigation deepens.
