Mizoram Police detain MSU President Samuel Zoramthanpuia in extortion case

The President of the Mizo Students’ Union (MSU), Samuel Zoramthanpuia, was arrested by Mizoram Police on Friday for his alleged role in a kidnapping and extortion case involving an employee of M/S Satnam Global Infraproject Ltd., a contractor under Mizoram Power & Electricity Department. The arrest was carried out in connection with a complaint filed by Bhanu Shankar Rabidas, a non-local employee residing in Aizawl.

Initially detained by the Anti-Corruption Bureau on Friday morning on separate charges of fraud and misappropriation of Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, Zoramthanpuia was subsequently charged with kidnapping and extortion by the Aizawl Police. According to the FIR, the incident occurred on September 19, 2024, when Rabidas was forcibly taken to the MSU office after revealing his employment with Satnam Global Infraproject Ltd.

Rabidas reported that upon arrival, he was instructed by Zoramthanpuia to call his manager. Shortly after, his supervisor, Jitendra Kumar Yadav, and sub-contractor Atikur Rahaman Khan were brought to the MSU office, where they were detained and threatened by MSU members who demanded Rs. 2 lakhs for their release. The three employees were held for seven hours until Mizoram Police intervened and secured their release at 5 p.m. Zoramthanpuia has since been remanded to judicial custody and transferred to Central Jail, Tanhril, Aizawl.

By Sonakshi Sarkar