Rival candidates of Manipur Education Minister Sorokhaibam Rajen, in the fray in Lamshang assembly constituency, drew the attention of the Election Commission of India (ECI) to reject the nomination of the latter, alleging him of furnishing false information in his election affidavits repeatedly for the last 20 years.
The rival candidates who raised the allegations are Arambam Karamjit (independent candidate), Khundrkapam Kanba Meitei (JD-U candidate), Pukhrambam Sumati (NPP candidate), and Likmabam Manibabu (INC candidate).
Speaking to the media on Friday, the four candidates informed that they will file a case in the Manipur High Court if the ECI fails to appropriate action.
It has been alleged in his affidavit filed in the 2007 assembly election that Rajen mentioned that he had graduated in the year 1985 from Manipur University. In the next election in 2012, Rajen changed his information about his qualification that he passed his BA in 1992 from MU, and in 2017, he again changed his information that he acquired his BA degree from MU in 1992.
The minister in his affidavits filed recently for the ensuing election mentioned that he got his BA degree from YK College, Wangjing under MU in the year 1988.
Upon detecting the irregularities, Likmabam Manibabu, INC candidate filed a complaint to the returning officer, Salam Padmabati of Lamshang AC on February 9 along with a prayer that the affidavits filed by Sorokhaibam Rajen from 2007 to 2022 for Lamsang AC is quite clear that Rajen furnished false information repeatedly for the last 20 years. As such, Manibabu requested the RO to reject the nomination and to initiate action to prosecute Rajen by filing a formal complaint before the appropriate authority under section 195 of the Code of Criminal Procedure 1973, read with section 177 of IPC, 1908 as per the election commission.
However, nothing has been done with regards to the complaint by the RO, lamented the four candidates.
Manibabu claimed that the name of the minister's father was also different in the affidavits he filed. In his 2007 and 2012 affidavits, Rajen's father’s name was recorded as S Nilla Singh and in 2017 and 2022 his father’s name changed to Sorokhaibam Yaimabi Singh.
Manibabu further pointed out that Rajen does not have an actual date of birth. In the year 2007 his age was 43 years, in the year 2012 he was 53, in the year 2017 his age was again recorded as 52, and in the year 2022 his age is 57 years.
The minister was also alleged of not giving details of a pending case against at Patsoi police station under section 307/326/34 IPC and 27 Arms Act.
