The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) on Tuesday (December 17, 2025) conducted searches against two persons, Yambem Biren and Narengbam Samarjit, who presented themselves to be self-styled ““Chief Minister” and “External Affairs & Defence Minister” of the “Manipur State Council” respectively.
The searches are being carried out on five premises in Imphal related to the accused who are the key persons of Salai Group of Companies, an agency official said. They are being investigated as part of a money laundering investigation in connections with a case over collecting more than ₹50 crore worth funds from the public in the name of an investment scheme.
The case relates to a press conference held in London in 2019 wherein, Yambem Biren, claiming himself to be the “Chief Minister” and Narengbam Samarjit, styling himself as the “External Affairs and Defence Minister” of Manipur State Council, declared the “independence” of the State of Manipur from the Union of India.
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“By such prejudicial activities, they engaged in acts amounting to waging war against the State, sedition, and promoting disharmony, enmity and feelings of hatred among different groups. Based on this, the National Investigation Agency and the Central Bureau of Investigation have already registered cases against accused persosns,” the official said.
