Acting on intelligence inputs, the Special Cell of the West Jaintia Hills (WJH) Police in Meghalaya on Sunday busted a group of cadres of the Finance wing of NSCN-K operating somewhere in Khliehtyrshi in WJH district.
Informing this, Vivek Syiem, Superintendent of Police, WJH, Jowai, stated that during the operation the Deputy Secretary, Revenue of NSCN-K, 40-year-old Gaising Maringmei alias Ronal was arrested from a rented house at Mookyniang, Khiehtyrshi.
“His (Ronal’s) arrest led to the arrest of two more cadres of the NSCN-K Khamjang Rongmei (35 years) and Thuanguangpou Kamei alias Benjamin (40 years),” informed Syiem through a press communiqué.
The WJH SP also informed that from their possession, a cash amount of Rs 2 lakhs, multiple SIM cards, mobile phones and other incriminating documents and extortion notes of the NSCN-K were recovered.
“Further, preliminary interrogation of the Deputy Secretary, Revenue, revealed that the M/S Bharatiya Company Limited, which is undertaking construction work in Manipur had recently paid Rs 25 lakh as ransom money to the Deputy Secretary, Revenue on May 10, 2018 in WJH and that Rs 13 lakh of the ransom money was being transported by the wife of the Deputy Secretary – Tanthaoliu Gonmai to Imphal from Shillong on May 13, 2018 through night super bus from Shillong to Dimapur,” claimed Syiem.
He also stated that the information was shared along with Manipur Police, who then intercepted the bus and arrested Tanthaoliu Gonmai in Imphal West district along with the extortion money of Rs 13 lakhs.
Syiem also informed that a team from the district police will be dispatched to Manipur for taking custody of Tanthaoliu Gonmai soon.
Besides, one more cadre, who is a courier of the banned outfit – Dimchiulungam – was arrested with the help of Shillong Police from Police Bazaar on the same day.
“The Finance wing of NSCN-K appears to be using Jaintia Hills as safe haven to elude the scanner of the security forces and carry on its extortion activity and finance network which includes procuring of arms and ammunition,” SP Syiem stated.
A case vide Jowai PS Case No. 115(5)2018 u/s 121/121A/120B/384 IPC r/w Sec 10/13 UAP Act has been registered against the accused. They were produced in the court of the District Session Judge, WJH and the court sent them to 4-day police custody.
“An investigation team under Jason Mairom, SDPO, Amlarem will undertake the investigation and ascertain the depth and extent of the Finance wing of the NSCN-K in the district and submit the case study early,” added Syiem.