Court grants bail to MSU President in ACB case; denies bail in kidnapping charges
Aizawl, Nov 11: The Aizawl District Court on Monday accepted the bail plea of the President of the Mizo Students' Union (MSU), in connection with a case filed by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) regarding the alleged mismanagement and misappropriation of Covid aid funds.
However, the court denied bail for Samuel Zoramthanpuia’s involvement in separate cases of alleged kidnapping and extortion, citing the seriousness of the allegations.
Zoramthanpuia was initially detained on Friday by the Anti-Corruption Bureau for his alleged role in the cheating and misappropriation of the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.
He faced charges under sections 420 and 403 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The ACB has accused him of misappropriating Rs 15,13,162 from a total of Rs 50 lakh released in 2022 under Project Mizoram.
The funds were intended to strengthen healthcare in hospitals and provide humanitarian aid to Myanmar refugees in Mizoram.
Following his detention by the ACB, Zoramthanpuia was arrested by the Aizawl Police in connection with another case involving kidnapping and extortion.
The case relates to Bhanu Shankar Rabidas, an employee of M/S Satnam Global Infraproject Ltd. Rabidas filed a First Information Report (FIR) with Aizawl Police on September 19, 2024, claiming that he was approached by an unknown man while shopping in Tuikual locality.
Rabidas stated that the man, after learning about his employer, took him to the MSU office at Tuikual. There, Samuel allegedly instructed him to contact his manager.
As the investigation continues, the court's decision to grant bail in the Covid aid funds case provides a temporary relief for Zoramthanpuia, but the denial of bail in the kidnapping and extortion cases suggests that serious charges remain against him.
Zoramthanpuia had previously served as the General Secretary of the Mizo Students’ Union, a prominent student organisation in Mizoram.
His arrest and the subsequent legal proceedings have garnered significant attention, sparking debate over the misuse of public funds and alleged criminal activities of student leaders in the region.
