NATIONAL INVESTIGATION AGENCY SUMMONS THREE NAGALAND CMO OFFICIALS

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has summoned Officer on Special Duty to Nagaland Chief Minister T R Zeliang and two of his office staff for questioning in connection with a case of alleged terror funding. The case pertains to alleged extortion by groups such as NSCN (K), NSCN (IM) and Naga National Council from at least 14 government departments. Coming days ahead of the elections in Nagaland, which Naga groups had asked political parties to boycott unless the peace accord is signed, this development has set off a political firestorm. Incidentally, Zeliang took over as CM from Neiphiu Rio when both were in the Nagaland People’s Front (NPF), after the latter went to the Lok Sabha as an MP from Nagaland in 2014. The BJP had been in alliance with the NPF for almost 15 years.

Those summoned by the NIA include Ruokuovizo Chupno, OSD to CM Zeliang, and two public relations officers in his office. On January 18, 2017, the NIA conducted searches in various government departments in Nagaland and seized receipts that showed payments to the tune of Rs 2 crore.

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