K. Meghachandra Singh, the President of the Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee, reportedly failed to appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday as part of an ongoing investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act 2002 (PMLA). According to a senior Congress official, the summons was issued a few days prior, but Meghachandra only became aware of it on the day of the appointment. “Hence, he was unable to appear on time,” the official stated. The ED’s summons, issued by Assistant Director Amit Kumar on October 3, specifically required Meghachandra’s presence to provide evidence and relevant documents. The notice included a warning that non-compliance could result in penal proceedings under the PMLA.
In response to Meghachandra’s absence, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh took to social media platform X to denounce the summons, arguing that Meghachandra has been an outspoken critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, and Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh. “K. Meghachandra Singh has been fearlessly and aggressively voicing his opposition to the central government, exposing the mismanagement that has plagued Manipur since May 2023,” Ramesh asserted. “Today’s summons from the ED is nothing but politics of vendetta, harassment, and revenge aimed at obscuring the Union Government’s failures in the state.”
Echoing Ramesh’s sentiments, Congress spokesperson N. Bupendra Meitei stated on X, “Our PCC President cannot be silenced for speaking the truth. We will legally challenge this in court.”
