How a terror group EXTORTED the Nagaland govt

The group, NSCN-K, had prepared a list of 24 government departments and had set a ‘target’ of Rs 10 crore

On Wednesday the National Investigation Agency made a shocking revelation about how money from government departments in Nagaland may have reached the dreaded terrorist group National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang. The NIA said in a note that large sums of money was being collected through illegal taxation in Kohima and Dimapur by various underground groups including the.

The NIA investigation suggests that this dreaded terrorist group from Nagaland after abrogating the ceasefire with the government in March 2015 has been extorting from the government apart from carrying out strikes on security forces.

How NSCN-K taxed the Nagaland government

According to investigations, the NSCN-K, had prepared a list of 24 government departments. They included the social welfare, irrigation, housing among other departments. The group would call it tax, but in reality, it was just extortion. Investigations revealed that the outfit had tasked its operatives to compulsorily collect 24 per cent of government employees' salaries apart from funds from the department meant for government work.

The papers that were seized and scrutinised by the NIA showed that the outfit had set a target of Rs 10 crore to be collected from these departments. Until August 2016, the outfit had managed to collect Rs 25 lakh from both the irrigation and social welfare departments, the probe revealed.

The operation was being controlled out of Myanmanar by the outfit boss, S S Khaplang. He tasked his finance in charge, S Khetoshe Sumi to oversee the operation in Myanmar. Operating out of Kohima and Dimapur, Sumi would personally call officials in the government departments and demand 24 per cent tax. He would threaten them with dire consequences if the amount was not paid up.

Sumi would either meet these officials personally or send his trusted aide to collect the money. Once the money was collected, he would rope in the women members of the outfit and transport the cash to Myanmar, investigations further revealed.

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