The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached movable properties linked to some alleged key functionaries of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM).
The accused persons have been identified as Rayilung Nsarangbe, a self-styled colonel and treasurer of the NSCN (IM), his wife Ruth Chawang and Apam Muivah, secretary to the outfit’s Ato Kilonser (prime minister). The assets worth ₹6.88 crore are in the form of bank balances, mutual funds and insurance products.
The ED probe is based on an FIR and chargesheet filed by the National Investigation Agency in December last year. It was alleged that the terror outfit ran a well-organised extortion racket in Manipur and Nagaland, resulting in diversion of government funds. It had been criminally intimidating the companies involved in road construction projects in Manipur and collecting huge sums as illegal ‘tax’.
Extorted money
According to the ED, the outfit’s in-charge of four administrative districts in Manipur reported to Rayilung Nsarangbe, as he was the treasurer of the “collective leadership”. They would submit the extorted money along with details of the collections to him. Huge amounts were being directly collected by him.
While a major part of the funds was spent on the direction of the “collective leadership”, the rest was being deposited in the bank accounts maintained in the name of Rayilung Nsarangbe, that of his wife and Apam Muivah. He had also transferred funds to Apam Muivah from Ruth Chawang’s accounts, as alleged.
