Nagaland: 3 officials held for collecting money for banned outfits

Jamir and Sheqi were remanded in five-day police custody and Pongen was sent to a hospital after she reported sick.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday arrested three Nagaland government officials, including two joint directors, from Kohima for their alleged involvement in extorting money and collecting “taxes” for the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang (NSCN-K) and other banned outfits.

An NIA official in Guwahati identified the three as Tulula Pongen, Alienba Pangjung Jamir and K Lashito Sheqi. He added that they provided “substantial amount of money” by contributing government funds to the banned outfit, “thereby supporting the NSCN-K in its unlawful activities”. Jamir and Sheqi were remanded in five-day police custody and Pongen was sent to a hospital after she reported sick.

This is the first time that government officials have been arrested for allegedly collecting money for banned outfits. The arrests followed NIA searches on 13 state government offices in Kohima on January 18.

Documents related to the collection were seized during the searches. The official said the scrutiny of the documents, including demand letters and NSCN-K’s receipts, pointed to the involvement of the three. They were also allegedly collecting money from government employees for other groups as well.

The NIA had earlier arrested S Khetoshe Sumi, NSCN (K)’s finance in-charge in Kohima and Dimapur, and Victo Swu.

Their interrogation had led to the seizure of documents and subsequent arrest of the three officials.

Separately, the NIA on Tuesday submitted chargesheets in a special NIA Court in Dimapur in connection with transfer of police arms and ammunition to banned outfits.

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