ED attaches 13 properties worth ₹3.92 crore in Manipur money laundering case
Synopsis
Two Manipur firms allegedly collected ₹253 crore from over 5,500 investors through an illegal deposit scheme — and now the ED has attached 219 properties worth ₹65.5 crore in total, with the latest action adding 13 more assets. The scale of the alleged fraud, and the number of ordinary investors caught in it, makes this one of the most significant PMLA actions in the state.
Key Takeaways
The ED provisionally attached 13 immovable properties worth approximately ₹3.92 crore in Manipur on 27 June under the PMLA, 2002 .
The properties are linked to M/s Birla Emporium Pvt.
Ltd. and M/s Ira Finance Pvt.
Ltd. , allegedly controlled by Yumnam Irabanta Singh .
The firms allegedly collected approximately ₹253 crore from around 5,511 investors by promising monthly returns of 3–5 per cent without any RBI, SEBI, or state registration.
Cumulative ED attachments in this case now stand at 219 properties worth approximately ₹65.5 crore .
A Prosecution Complaint was filed before the Special PMLA Court, Imphal on 6 June 2025 ; cognizance was taken on 18 August 2025 .
Further investigation by the ED is ongoing.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has provisionally attached 13 immovable properties valued at approximately ₹3.92 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, in connection with an alleged unauthorised deposit scheme run by two private companies in Manipur. The action, carried out by the ED's Imphal Sub-Zonal Office, targets assets linked to M/s Birla Emporium Pvt. Ltd. and M/s Ira Finance Pvt. Ltd., the agency confirmed on Saturday, 27 June.
What Was Attached and Where
The 13 immovable properties are spread across Thoubal, Imphal East, and Imphal West districts of Manipur. According to the ED, these properties stand registered in the name of the companies through their staff and associated persons — individuals who, investigators say, have no genuine claim to the assets.
The Alleged Scheme
The ED's investigation, initiated on the basis of an FIR registered by the CID (Crime Branch), Imphal under Sections 420 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code — both scheduled offences under PMLA — revealed the alleged contours of a large-scale financial fraud.
Both firms were allegedly controlled by Yumnam Irabanta Singh and his associates. The entities reportedly operated an unauthorised and unregulated deposit scheme, functioning like a bank or non-banking financial company (NBFC) without any registration from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), or state authorities.
According to the ED's statement, the scheme allegedly collected approximately ₹253 crore from around 5,511 investors by promising exorbitant monthly returns of 3–5 per cent. Of the funds collected, roughly ₹100 crore was reportedly advanced as loans against property, while the remaining proceeds were allegedly diverted into real estate, stock-market, and forex investments.
To secure these loans, borrowers' properties were transferred via sale deeds into the names of the companies' directors and staff — a mechanism investigators say was used to camouflage the proceeds of crime.
Cumulative Action in This Case
With this latest round of attachments, the ED has now attached a total of 219 immovable properties valued at approximately ₹65.5 crore in this case. Of these, 206 properties worth approximately ₹61.6 crore were attached in earlier actions, both sets of which have since been confirmed by the Adjudicating Authority under PMLA.
Notably, this is among the larger cumulative attachment actions in Manipur under PMLA, underscoring the scale of the alleged fraud and the number of investors affected.
Legal Proceedings and What Comes Next
A Prosecution Complaint was filed before the Special PMLA Court, Imphal on 6 June 2025, and the court took cognizance on 18 August 2025. The ED has stated that further investigation remains in progress. The 5,511 investors who allegedly lost money in the scheme await the outcome of both the criminal proceedings and any eventual asset disposal process under PMLA.
Point of View
Creating a paper trail designed to obscure beneficial ownership. With 5,511 investors allegedly defrauded and a Prosecution Complaint already before a Special Court, the legal machinery is in motion — but the harder question is how many of those investors will actually recover their money, and when. PMLA attachments are a first step; restitution is rarely swift.
NationPress
27 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What properties has the ED attached in the Manipur money laundering case?
The ED has provisionally attached 13 immovable properties worth approximately ₹3.92 crore, located across Thoubal, Imphal East, and Imphal West districts of Manipur. These are linked to M/s Birla Emporium Pvt. Ltd. and M/s Ira Finance Pvt. Ltd. under the PMLA, 2002.
What was the alleged fraud carried out by Birla Emporium and Ira Finance in Manipur?
The two firms allegedly operated an unauthorised deposit scheme — functioning like a bank or NBFC without any RBI, SEBI, or state registration — collecting approximately ₹253 crore from around 5,511 investors by promising monthly returns of 3–5 per cent. Proceeds were allegedly diverted into real estate, stock markets, and forex investments.
Who is the accused in the Manipur ED case?
The two firms are allegedly controlled by Yumnam Irabanta Singh and his associates, according to the ED's investigation. The companies' directors and staff also reportedly had borrowers' properties transferred into their names to secure loans.
What is the total value of properties attached by the ED in this case so far?
The ED has cumulatively attached 219 immovable properties worth approximately ₹65.5 crore in this case, including the latest 13 properties worth ₹3.92 crore. Earlier attachments of 206 properties worth ₹61.6 crore have already been confirmed by the Adjudicating Authority under PMLA.
What is the current status of legal proceedings in the Manipur PMLA case?
A Prosecution Complaint was filed before the Special PMLA Court, Imphal on 6 June 2025, and the court took cognizance on 18 August 2025. The ED has stated that further investigation is ongoing.
