In a strongly-worded eviction notice, the Centre has asked Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra to immediately vacate a government bungalow that she had been allotted as an MP. The notice by the Directorate of Estates, which manages government properties, states that if Ms Moitra does not vacate the premises on her own, she and any other occupant “are liable to be evicted from the said premises, if need be, by the use of such force as may be necessary”.

The move comes more than a month after Ms Moitra was expelled as a Lok Sabha MP on grounds of unethical conduct. A Parliamentary panel found her guilty of accepting expensive gifts from a businessman and sharing her Parliament login credentials with him.

The government said in its notice that Ms Moitra has been “allowed sufficient opportunity” but she failed to prove that she is not an unauthorised occupant.

Earlier this month, the Delhi High Court had asked the expelled MP to request the Directorate of Estates to let her stay in the bungalow for now. The court had noted that rules permitted authorities to allow a resident to overstay for up to six months on payment of certain charges in exceptional circumstances.

The court, however, did not make any observations on the merits of the case and allowed Ms Moitra to withdraw her petition.

The eviction order notes that there is no injunction order barring the eviction proceedings. It also says that if Ms Moitra decides to challenge the eviction notice in any court, she shall be liable to pay damages for every month.

Ms Moitra occupies a bungalow in Delhi’s Telegraph Lane. A month after her expulsion as MP, her allotment of the government accommodation was cancelled on January 7. Ms Moitra had earlier sought time till the Lok Sabha polls this year. She had said the loss of government accommodation now would hinder her campaign.

A Manipur Police commando was killed today in an attack by miscreants in the border town Moreh, 110 km from the state capital Imphal. Firing has been going on since morning between security forces and miscreants, government sources said.

According to reports, the miscreants today threw bombs and fired at a security post near Moreh. Moreh is a key trading town on the India-Myanmar border.

Police said the miscreants also fired RPG shells at the temporary commando post damaging several vehicles parked in the vicinity.

The commando who died was identified as Wangkhem Somorjit an IRB personnel attached to state police commando in Moreh. Somorjit hails from Malom in Imphal West district.

The fresh violence comes amid massive protests by Kuki groups after police arresed two tribals for involvement in the killing of a police officer.

A video of the clash shows armed miscreants pushing back a security truck as it tries to enter Moreh.

The Kuki tribes have asked the Centre to remove the state police from Moreh and keep only central forces. They have alleged the police of attacking Kuki civilians. The Manipur Police have refuted the allegations and said those attacking the state police commandos were hill-based insurgents.

Over 180 have died and thousands have been internally displaced in the Manipur violence that began on May 3, 2023.