DIMAPUR, JUNE 3 (MExN): Dimapur police arrested one man on charges of forgery on May 25 last. The arrested was identified as one Sorenthung Tungoe (35 years) by police. Tungoe had forged the signature of the Principal Director, Health & Family Welfare to create fraudulent ‘appointment letters’. According to police a complaint was received on May 12 last stating five “fraudulent appointment letters” was received in the office of the Chief Medical Officer, Dimapur.
The letters came attached with supporting letters from one ‘Nike Rio’, who was supposedly a ‘PA’ to the Chief Minister. The letters from the supposed ‘PA’ bore a fake stamped seal from the CM’s Secretariat. The department of H & FW “issued a clarification that these letters did not originate from the Directorate and the signature was forged”, police said. While the CM’s Secretariat also clarified that no person by the name of ‘Nike Rio’ exists in its office and the stationery used was forged.
Dimapur police sensing the high profile nature of the case endorsed the case to SDPO Dimapur, Shouka Kakheto. The CMO, Dimapur received the letters on two occasions. However, on both occasions it turned out to be Saturdays as such the man who brought the letters handed it to the ‘chowkidar’. During the course of investigation it was found that the man had left a contact number with the ‘chowkidar’ which later proved to be crucial in cracking the case and finally nabbing the culprit.
“A study of the subscriber’s detail and call records revealed that the information provided were fictitious…” However, police were able to retrieve the IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) number of the handset enabling them to trace it to another number being used by the person.
With the help of phone tower location the man was finally traced to Kohima. A police team from East Police station led by UBSI Jenmai Konyak and ASI Inaka Kinny arrested Sorenthung Tungoe from Kohima on May 25 and brought him to Dimapur.
Police said that forty six fake appointment letters along with various other documents were seized from his possession. Tungoe, who is now in judicial custody is said to have confessed to police he was a ‘PA’ to a former MLA of Nagaland. Police said that he is well educated and was once associated as a vocalist with the popular ‘DGP Band’ before leaving it. He also confessed that he had submitted similar letters in Zunheboto and Wokha. Meanwhile the Dimapur police extended gratitude to Kohima police and mobile service providers for their cooperation.
