Delhi Police arrest banned PLA cadre wanted in two UAPA cases in Manipur

The Delhi Police Crime Branch has arrested a 35-year-old man allegedly associated with Manipur's banned People's Liberation Army (PLA) in connection with two cases registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), officials said.

The accused, identified as RK Regan Singh alias Gandhi, was apprehended by the Western Range-I team from the Yusuf Sarai area of South Delhi on Friday.

He was wanted in two UAPA cases registered at Thoubal police station in Manipur in 2024 and 2026. After completing the necessary legal formalities, the Delhi Police handed him over to a transit team of the Manipur Police for further investigation.

The operation was launched after Inspector Prakash Chand received intelligence on 3 September that a wanted Meitei militant was hiding in the national capital.

Under the supervision of ACP Rajkumar and DCP Crime Branch Harsh Indora, a specialised team used technical surveillance and local intelligence to trace the suspect.

Initial inputs suggested that he could be in the vicinity of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). However, verification found that no patient matching the available information had been admitted there.

Investigators subsequently expanded their search to hotels and public places across Yusuf Sarai, Safdarjung Enclave and Green Park. The team examined CCTV footage and conducted field inquiries, despite not having a recent photograph of the accused.

After sustained surveillance, officers detained a man matching the suspect's general description in Yusuf Sarai. During preliminary questioning, he allegedly gave a false identity and denied links with militant activities.

The Delhi Police later established his identity after sharing his photograph with the Manipur Police for verification.

Officials said Singh subsequently disclosed his family links to a founding member of the PLA and admitted to his alleged involvement in the banned organisation.

The Delhi Police attributed the arrest to coordinated technical surveillance, intelligence gathering and sustained field-level investigation.