In NSCN(K) terror funding case, NIA says it has evidence against former Nagaland CM

The National Investigation Agency says that it has evidence to suggest that former Nagaland chief minister, T R Zeliang was involved in the cases of extortion involving the NSCN(K).

Zeliang was recently summoned by the NIA, but he failed to appear before the agency. The NIA says that he would have to appear for cross-examining in the wake of evidence cropping up in the case. The agency had summoned him to clarify his stance in the case.

Sources familiar with the investigation said that Zeliang had sought another date to appear before the NIA. We have unearthed several documents to suggest that he had allegedly facilitated the funding for the NSCN(K).

Zeliang in a written reply through his advocate had told the NIA that he had nothing to do with the case. His government had nothing to do with the siphoning of government funds to facilitate the NSCN(K), he also said. He also said that if the government departments had indulged in siphoning of funds, he would have put an end to it had it been brought to his notice.

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, 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 per cent 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.

OneIndia News