The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has summoned former Nagaland chief minister T R Zeliang on March 17 for questioning in connection with the alleged funding of banned outfits through state government departments, his close aide said today.
The notice was sent by NIA Deputy Superintendent of Police Yogesh Rathore, Zeliang's aide Azeu Namcyn Hau said in a statement today.
The former chief minister was asked to appear before the NIA investigating officer on March 17 at 10 am in New Delhi "along with documents relevant to the payments received from the government department for the purpose of answering certain questions relating to investigation of the case without fail," the letter said.
The NIA had earlier summoned him to appear before it by tomorrow. Considering that the session of the new state assembly would begin tomorrow, the NIA accepted his request for time and postponed the appearance date.
Hau said the NIA's summon to Zelaing for tomorrow was received last midnight through fax. The former chief minister had then written to the NIA expressing his inability to comply at such a short notice and also because of the assembly session which he was required to attend as the leader of opposition.
"The NIA has been investigating extortion cases in Nagaland since August 2016 and Zeliang, as a law abiding citizen of the country, is ready to cooperate with any investigating agency including the NIA," the statement said.
On February 13 three officials of the Nagaland Chief Minister's office (CMO) were summoned by the NIA for interrogation on February 15.
The three officials - Ruokuovizo Chupuo, OSD to the CM, and Karaibo Chawang and Kueirang, media officers -- were summoned to appear before the NIA deputy superintendent of police and chief investigating officer, Jasveer Singh, on February 15 in Guwahati.
On March 1, two days before the announcement of the Nagaland Assembly election result, an officer of the Zeliang-led government was again summoned and interrogated for 5 days from March 3 at the NIA headquarter in New Delhi.
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