Zeliang says 3 CMO officials summoned as part of NIA probe

The Nagaland Chief Minister's Office (CMO) has nothing to do with any banned groups, especially in connection with extortion bids being probed by the NIA, said Chief Minister T R Zeliang today.
Zeliang was responding to a question on summoning of three CMO officials by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) for interrogation.
"That is not a new case as last year also the NIA had summoned them but the case was dropped in July-August, and now the NIA has taken up the same case again, the chief minister told reporters.
"They (CMO officials) will be going and explaining their position," he said.

The NIA has jurisdiction to investigate if payment is being made to terrorist groups, he said.
"Like in Nagaland the NSCN(K) has been declared a banned organisation. If anybody is paying them it becomes illegal but, the CMO has nothing to do with NSCN(K) or any other organisation," he said.

Zeliang said on November 21 last year state government officials had submitted a memorandum demanding the recall of the NIA from Nagaland, alleging that they were being harassed.
"We have reported the matter to the Union Home Minister that the NIA should go within their assignment, and we hope they will go according to the law," he said.

The NIA had yesterday issued summonses to three CMO officials to its branch office in Guwahati for interrogation tomorrow.
The NIA was investigating the extortion cases in Nagaland since August 2016, sources said while also alleging that incriminating documents were seized where the involvement of three CMO officials was detected.