What began as a daring robbery in Manipur is now a cross-border terror financing case, with the NIA probing Myanmar camps. The Home Ministry handed the Ukhrul bank case to NIA after evidence showed insurgent funding routed through Myanmar.
BY PC Bureau
Delhi, Sept 25, 2025 — Nearly two years after one of India’s biggest bank robberies shook Manipur, the probe has shifted dramatically from a case of dacoity to a counter-terrorism investigation with cross-border ramifications. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over the 2023 Ukhrul Punjab National Bank heist, obviously due to its links to insurgent financing and Myanmar-based networks.
On November 30, 2023, about ten masked gunmen stormed the Punjab National Bank branch in Viewland, Ukhrul, and fled with ₹18.85 crore after holding staff at gunpoint. Despite the scale of the crime, no group claimed responsibility, and for months the case languished under the Manipur Police.
The turning point came in July 2025 when Nagaland Police arrested three men in Dimapur: alleged ringleader P. Joseph, along with L.S. Thangeo and Th. Shongreihan. Investigators identified them as hardcore cadres of the NSCN-IM’s eastern flank, with deep ties to Myanmar-based camps. Their custody revealed what state police had long suspected but could not prove — the money trail led across the border.
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According to intelligence inputs, a significant portion of the looted cash was smuggled into Myanmar to fund insurgent activities. This revelation transformed the case from a local law-and-order matter into one of terror financing, prompting the Union Home Ministry to order the NIA takeover on September 8, 2025.
NIA Takes Over ₹18.85-Crore Manipur Bank Robbery Linked to NSCN(IM) https://t.co/DtKHgPxJDC #PNBRobbery #NIAProbe #NSCNIM #ManipurSecurity #Nagaland #RebelFunding
— POWER CORRIDORS (@power_corridors) September 24, 2025
Myanmar Angle at the Core
Officials in Delhi say the porous India-Myanmar border provided the perfect escape route for the robbers. The NSCN-IM, which maintains safe havens in Myanmar, is suspected of laundering the loot to sustain its insurgency. Such cross-border financing has long been a concern for Indian security agencies, particularly as Manipur and Nagaland remain insurgency hotspots.
“Once credible proof of the Myanmar connection emerged, the state police could do little. Only the NIA has the mandate and resources to chase such transnational terror financing,” said a senior security official.
Larger Conspiracy in Play
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has pointed to a broader pattern: at least five bank robberies have occurred in Manipur since the ethnic violence of 2023, many suspected to have been carried out to bankroll militant outfits. The Ukhrul robbery — by far the biggest — now appears part of this chain.
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The NIA will probe whether the loot was funneled into arms procurement, extortion rackets, or even to fuel unrest in the region. Investigators are also studying if the funds were routed through Myanmar into international networks.
From Robbery to National Security Threat
What began as a sensational robbery case has thus escalated into a matter of national security. The application of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) signals the Centre’s view that the heist was not just about money but part of a calculated insurgent strategy.
Critics, however, note that the NSCN-IM had publicly condemned the robbery in 2023, raising questions about whether splinter groups or rogue cadres were involved. For now, the NIA is tight-lipped, but more arrests and asset seizures are expected as the probe widens.
Reasons for the NIA Takeover: The NIA, India’s premier counter-terrorism agency, typically assumes jurisdiction under Section 6 of the NIA Act, 2008, when cases involve national security, terrorism, or cross-border elements, especially on MHA orders. Based on official statements and reports, the primary triggers here include:
| Reason | Details | Implications |
| Link to Terrorist Insurgency (NSCN-IM) | Credible intelligence revealed the robbery was orchestrated by NSCN-IM cadres to fund their separatist activities. NSCN-IM, a banned Naga insurgent group active in Manipur, Nagaland, and Myanmar, has a history of extortion and funding through such means. The arrested leader, P. Joseph, is accused of heading the operation. | Elevates the case from mere dacoity to a UAPA-scheduled offense, justifying NIA’s specialized expertise in probing insurgent networks. |
| Cross-Border Ramifications | The robbers allegedly fled to Myanmar with the cash, exploiting the porous India-Myanmar border. This involves international angles, including potential safe havens in NSCN-IM’s Myanmar camps. | NIA’s mandate includes transnational threats; state police lack resources for such pursuits, highlighting broader border security concerns in Northeast India. |
| Larger Conspiracy and Funding Network | MHA cited the need to “unearth the larger conspiracy” behind terror financing. The heist fits a pattern of bank robberies in Manipur (at least seven since 2023 ethnic violence), possibly linked to insurgent extortion amid regional instability. | Probes into fund flows could expose wider networks, including arms procurement or ethnic conflict fueling, requiring coordinated federal investigation. |
| Recent Breakthroughs and MHA Directives | Arrests in July 2025 provided fresh evidence, prompting MHA to transfer the case for a more robust probe. Delays in initial state investigation may have stalled progress until these leads emerged. | Ensures impartiality and efficiency; NIA’s involvement often follows when local probes hit dead ends or reveal terror links, preventing case dilution. |
| National Security Imperative | The robbery’s scale (₹18.85 crore) and location in a sensitive Naga-inhabited district underscore risks to financial institutions and public safety in conflict zones. | Aligns with NIA’s role in high-gravity offenses with “national and international ramifications,” as per MHA notifications. |
