Manipur government will hand over the Rs 24 crore drug haul case involving a Colonel ranked Army officer and an MLA's son to the CBI, officials said today.

The decision to recommend the case to the CBI was taken last evening during a cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh and convened especially to discuss the issue, the officials said.

A Colonel-ranked defence PRO Ajay Chaudhury, and five others were arrested on February 24 at Pallel area in Chandel district on their way to border town of Moreh for allegedly transporting illicit drugs in three vehicles for smuggling them to neighbouring Myanmar.

Seikholen Haokip, the son of ruling Congress MLA T N Haokip, was arrested on February 26 from the former's house at Deulaland near here in connection with the case.

The arrest of Haokip followed interrogation of Chaudhury, his assistant R K Babalu, assistant manager of Indigo airlines Ngairangbam Brojendro Singh and three others - Haopu Haokip, Ningthang Doungel and Minlal Haokip.

The seven were now in police custody till March 8.

Cases have been filed against them under sections 21 and 29 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.

The seized drugs, also called party drugs, included pseudoephedrine tablets- Respifed, Omkop, Hilcold, Polyfed and Actidin.