National investigation Agency (NIA) has issued a fresh summon to former Nagaland Chief Minister TR Zeliang asking him to appear in its office in New Delhi on March 17.
Zeliang, now Leader of Opposition in Nagaland Assembly, was earlier on March 12 first summoned to NIA office in the national capital on March 13 in connection with alleged “tax collection” and “extortion” from state government departments by banned Naga insurgent groups. But he expressed his inability to appear before NIA in Delhi in such a short notice, especially because of the Assembly session which began on March 13 where he is required to attend as the Leader of Opposition.
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According to reports, Zeliang cried foul after he was issued the fresh summon. NIA had summoned for questioning three CMO officials – OSD, media officer and public relations officer to the then CM – to Guwahati on February 15 and 16.
He told media persons in Kohima on Tuesday that he had not decided whether he would be present before NIA on March 17 as he had to prepare for the ongoing Assembly session.
Failing to understand the reason for repeated summons, Zeliang said the NIA move smacked of conspiracy.
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When asked whether he felt there was any conspiracy behind the summons, the former Chief Minister said, “Yeah, I too feel something like that.”
The NIA had summoned his OSD a day before election results were announced and was detained in Guwahati for five days. He was once again summoned to New Delhi and asked the same questions that were asked earlier after the election results were out.
Alleging that his OSD was detained until the day he resigned as chief minister, Zeliang said he failed to understand NIA’s strategy.