Former Naga CM TR Zeliang appears before NIA in ‘money extortion’ case

New Delhi, April 2: Former Chief Minister T R Zeliang appeared before National Investigation Agency in a ‘money extortion’ case under insurgent group NSCN-K. CM Zeliang appealed to NIA to examine him at his residence considering his age. 

National Investigation Agency had asked former Naga CM Zeliang to appear before agency for interrogation.

The NIA had busted a huge tax racket that was being run by the NSCN-K. While the outfit termed it as tax, the NIA probe revealed that it was nothing but extortion.

The NSCN-K faction was banned for five years after it was declared a terrorist organisation by the Union Government in November 2015.

NSCN-K, had prepared a list of 24 government departments. They included the social welfare, irrigation, and housing among other departments. The group would call it tax, but in reality, it was just extortion. Further it was also revealed that the operatives would collect 24% of the salaries of government employees.

The NSCN-K has been the most notorious when it comes to collecting tax. The tax amount ranges between Rs 3,000 to Rs 10,000 on an annual basis. However, there is no guarantee that if the sum is paid they would not come back the same year for more.

The probe revealed that the tax was being collected on an annual basis. The people have complained very often that not paying was never an option. Apart from earning their livelihood they had to earn extra so that they had enough money when the NSCN-K cadres came knocking on their doors. Failure to pay the amount only resulted in death, the people have complained.

National Investigation Agency also arrested 3 Nagaland Senior Officials over ‘terror funding’ case. NIA stated that the three state government officials-- Agriculture department director, executive engineer of Rural Development department and divisional accounts officer of the Directorate of Urban Development were held on March 25, 2018. “The officials were arrested on the basis of their alleged involvement in paying a huge amount of money to various UG factions such as NSCN (K), NSCN (R), FGN, NNC and others within the period from 2012-2016,” NIA stated.