On Monday, 31 May, Kangujam Kanarjit Singh, also known as Dr KK Singh, the father of so-called ‘climate activist’ Licypriya Kangujam, was arrested in Delhi in a joint operation by Manipur Police and Delhi Police’s Special Cell.
Singh has been under the police radar for years now and this is not the first time he has been arrested. In 2016, the Manipur Police had nabbed Singh, who was 30-years-old then, on charges of fraud, assault, and criminal breach of trust.
Who Is Kangujam Kanarjit Singh?
Before his daughter Licypriya Kangujam gained national and international fame as a ‘climate activist’ (which was then debunked by EastMojo), Singh had already duped many people.
In this detailed report on Singh by The Frontier Manipur, the author Paojel Chaoba points out, “Kanarjit specialises in forging documents, forging signatures, and presenting a larger than life image of himself. He traveled back then in a white Maruti 1000 car with a flag post claiming that he is representative of the United Nations, his jacket also displayed a number of badges, which he adorned all the time. His modus operandi is to collect funds and fees from national and international students in the name of organising youth meets and other seminars, relief for earthquake victims, and the list goes on. Back in 2015, he had organised a conference at Imphal East City Convention Centre and around 400 people, including representatives from Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan etc, attended this conference.”
He was so methodical in his operations that he not only fooled locals but also Ted Talks, and in fact, appeared on the programme.
Singh has time and again claimed dubious identities, from a UN director to a ‘youth leader’. The people he duped are not limited to just Indians. A Nepali national complained against Singh at the Indian Embassy in Nepal, following which Imphal East police registered a case in April this year under several IPC sections. According to the complaint, Prajesh Khanal , who was recognised as “Global’s 20 under 20” in 2017, accused Karnajit of duping him of Rs 30,000 on the pretext of organising a youth exchange programme through IYC.
Such was the nature of Singh’s offences that in February 2021, the Under Secretary (Nepal section), Ministry of External Affairs (Northern Division), issued an office memo to ascertain the facts and to take action deemed appropriate.
What Are the IPC Sections Against Singh?
Through the years, Singh has been accused under various sections of the Indian Penal Code. Some of the most important ones are as follows:
Section 406:
Whoever commits criminal breach of trust shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term, which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both.
Section 417:
Punishment for cheating — whoever cheats shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term, which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both.
Section 420:
Cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property — Whoever cheats and thereby dishonestly induces the person deceived to deliver any property to any person, or to make, alter or destroy the whole or any part of a valuable security, or anything which is signed or sealed, and which is capable of being converted into a valuable security, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, and shall also be liable to fine.
Section 427:
Whoever commits mischief and thereby causes loss or damage to the amount of Rs 50 or upwards, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term, which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.
Section 120b:
Punishment of criminal conspiracy —
(1) Whoever is a party to a criminal conspiracy to commit an offence punishable with death, 2[imprisonment for life] or rigorous imprisonment for a term of two years or upwards, shall, where no express provision is made in this Code for the punishment of such a conspiracy, be punished in the same manner as if he had abetted such offence.
(2) Whoever is a party to a criminal conspiracy other than a criminal conspiracy to commit an offence punishable as aforesaid shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term not exceeding six months, or with fine or with both.
Section 120A: Definition of criminal conspiracy. When two or more persons agree to do, or cause to be done —
(1) An illegal act, or
(2) An act which is not illegal by illegal means, such an agreement is designated a criminal conspiracy: Provided that no agreement except an agreement to commit an offence shall amount to a criminal conspiracy unless some act besides the agreement is done by one or more parties to such agreement in pursuance thereof. Explanation. It is immaterial whether the illegal act is the ultimate object of such agreement, or is merely incidental to that object.
What Next?
Singh was reportedly brought back to Manipur by an Air India flight on Tuesday, 1 June, said sources.
As per sources, he was produced in a Delhi court, which later granted his custody to Manipur Police.
(This story was first published in EastMojo and has been republished with permission with few edits.)
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