NSCN-K tax extortion case, former Nagaland CM Zeliang appears before NIA

The former chief minister of Nagaland, T R Zeliang appeared before the National Investigation Agency in connection with a case of extortion being run by the terror group NSCN-K.

He pleaded with the NIA to either examine him at his residence in New Delhi or Nagaland considering his age being over 65. He made the appeal while referring to a law for elderly people. The NIA would examine the plea and take a decision in a day or two.

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