The National Investigation Agency has summoned three officials in Nagaland Chief Minister TR Zeliang’s Office in connection with a probe into extortion rackets in the state, the Hindustan Times reported on Wednesday quoting sources.
The three officials’ names came up during an investigation into the payments made to the National Socialist Council of Nagaland - Khaplang, or NSCN(K), from state funds, on Wednesday, according to sources. The agency has asked Zeliang’s Officer on Special Duty Ruokuovizo Chupno and two public relations officials to appear in its Guwahati office on February 15.
The NIA had registered the case in August 2016 against the banned outfit for extortion of money from individuals and organisations. The agency filed a chargesheet in 2017.
Naga People’s Front Press Secretary Sebastian Zumvu told The Indian Express that the NIA’s action was not surprising. “Since the Bharatiya Janata Party is no longer in coalition with us for the elections, this is what it is doing,” he said. Zumvu said that the NIA should investigate large withdrawals from banks by BJP candidates and their families before the elections.
Nagaland goes to the polls on February 27. The BJP in January broke a 15-year-old alliance with the Naga People’s Front and tied up with the Nationalist Democratic People’s Party or NDPP. The saffron party with contest 20 seats, and the NDPP 40 seats in the upcoming elections.
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