Imphal, October 29: After all tobacco products were banned in the State followed by a similar ban on betel leaves (mithamana) from October 15, one Mutum Tombi (42) w/o Samer of Samurou Bazar was pulled by the proscribed RPF from a place in Bishnupur at about 1.30 pm yesterday along with 3 cartons of mithamana.

Tombi is a shopkeeper ( pan dukan) at Samurou Bazar.

According to a statement issued by a spokesperson of RPF's Department of Communication and Publicity, Tombi bought the mithamana worth Rs 7,000 from a non-Manipuri staying at Churachandpur yesterday morning.

The betel leaves were brought in a passenger bus with registration number MN-01-1119.Taking into consideration that she is woman, Tombi will be handed over to family members with a final warning.

But before her release, she should furnish a written pledge declaring that she will not deal in the banned products ever again and that she will accept whatever punishment given to her by the RPF in case of violating her own pledge, conveyed the spokesperson.

The outfit also reiterated its warning to all transport agencies and private transporters not to bring in the banned products and to stop off-loading these products at different places before reaching Imphal with the intention to transport the banned products to Imphal and other districts later in secret.

The RPF also warned flight service companies not to help in transporting the banned products to the State.

In case of any one defying the warning, strong punitive actions befitting enemies of the outfit and the public will be initiated against them, added the spokesperson.

Betel leave dealer Tombi was paraded before media persons somewhere in Churachandpur district today and the seized betel leaves were consigned to flames in their presence.

On the other hand, one Samchetshabam Romesh Meitei of Uripok Khoisnam Leikai involved in trading and transporting mithamana for betel leave trader Pastam based at Dimapur was pulled up by RPF cadres along with the banned betel leaves.

Romesh was pulled up while returning to the State along with the betel leaves in a bus today.

He was paraded before media persons today.

From the disclosure of Romesh, it was learnt that one Boynao of Khurai Oinam Leikai and Md Fazal and Md Debo of Kairang are also involved in betel leave trade, said a spokesperson of the proscribed outfit.

Hence, all three of them and Pastam should give in to the outfit within five days.

As Romesh has furnished a written declaration pledging that he would never deal in the banned items in future, he will be handed over to his family without any harm, informed the spokesperson.

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