Tainted PRO removed; Defence Ministry

NEW DELHI, Feb 25 (agencies): The Defence Ministry today ordered the removal from his post of Manipur Army PRO Lt Col Ajay Kumar Choudhury who was arrested with drugs worth about Rs 15 crore at Pallel, Thoubal district.

The Defence Ministry has also sought a report about the incident from the local Army authorities.

Col Choudhury was working as PRO of the PIB (Defence Wing), M Sector, Imphal.

An Army jawan and a senior official of Indigo Airlines were also detained for alleged involvement in the drug trafficking.

The Defence Ministry said it would hurt the Army's image if Col Choudhury remained in his post, according to a spokesman.

On a tip-off police stopped three vehicles moving from Imphal to Moreh, the border trade town. After thorough search of the three vehicles 31 packages containing the drugs were found.