Imphal, October 28: In connection with its ban on tobacco products including Mithamana (betl leaf), the proscribed outfit RPF has rounded up a woman selling Mithamana and seized the banned item.

The woman identified as Ch Eliza Kim Aimol (38) w/o Adei Aimol of Pallel but staying at Thangmeiband Polem Leikai was paraded before mediapersons somewhere in Imphal East district today evening.

Talking to mediapersons in this connection, spokesperson of the department of communication and publicity of the outfit said two bags of Mithamana worth Rs 15,600 in the market have also been recovered from the possession of the woman.

The spokesperson informed that on receiving information about keeping Mithamana brought from outside Manipur at Sekmai and some people going there regularly to get them for selling, RPF investigated and led to the arrest of Eliza from her own house last night.

During the course of interrogation, it has been known that the Eliza bought the Mithamana from one Yambem ningol Babita who operates a shop at Sekmai Bazar.

Babita is the daughter of Y Jadumani of Thangmeiband Polem Leikai and she is married to a man of Khurai Lamlong Bazar, the spokesperson said, while asking Babita and her father Jadumani to surrender to RPF within five days from today.

They should bear the responsibility for any consequences of failing to do so, the spokesperson warned.

The spokesperson further informed that considering her position as a woman, Eliza would be forgiven for her first offence and handed over to the Meira Paibis of Polem Leikai.

But if she was found acting against the ban in future, there would be no more leniency and the party would award capital punishment without any warning.

Eliza accepted all the charges levelled against her and promised to stop dealing in Mithamani saying that she would accept any punishment given by the outfit if she was found acting against the ban in future.

Afterward, the seized Mithamanas were destroyed by setting them on fire in front of the people.

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