Terror funding: TR Zeliang appears before NIA again

Guwahati: Former Nagaland chief minister T.R. Zeliang on Saturday appeared before the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in New Delhi in connection with an alleged case of terror funding and pleaded that because of his age crossing over 65, he should be examined at his residence in New Delhi or Nagaland.

Referring the provision of law for elderly persons, Mr Zeliang, in a written letter, asked the investigating agency to examine him at his residence.

Informing that NIA officers are looking into his letter, security sources said that agency would be taking a decision in a day or two, after examining the legal aspect of his plea.

Asserting that the former chief minister has been summoned only after the investigation of the case warranted it, security sources told this newspaper that the case is related to alleged extortion by groups such as NSCN(K), NSCN(I-M) and Naga National Council from at least 14 government departments. .

It is significant that on January 18, 2017, the NIA had conducted searches at various government departments in Nagaland and seized receipts that showed payments to the tune of `2 crore.

The sources in the agency said that these seizures, prima facie, indicate the connivance of these government departments in funding various underground organisations operating in Nagaland.

These departments include the directorate of information technology, directorate of soil and water conservation, directorate of irrigation, directorate of rural development, directorate of urban development, PWD, roads and buildings, and directorate of information and public relations.

The NIA probe into government workers and underground funding has also rocked the political circle of the state. In November 2017, seven government officials were arrested for funding underground groups, called Naga National Political Groups, through self-style taxation.