Nagaland Police says report of ‘snubbing’ NIA false

DIMAPUR, JULY 9 (MExN): The Nagaland Police today refuted the news in a national newspaper that the Nagaland Police had “snubbed” the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and had refused the NIA to question arrested NSCN (IM) leaders. 


A press release from the Nagaland Director General of Police stated that the report is “factually incorrect but appears to be malicious in intent aimed at creating misunderstanding and straining the excellent rapport that Nagaland Police has with all regional and national law enforcing and investigating agencies.” 


In order to dispel all doubts, the Nagaland Police presented the sequence of events which it stated “is also vouched by the premier investigating agency in question.” 


It further informed that the NIA, through the office of the DIG, NIA, Kolkata, has given a clarification to the Ministry of Home Affairs, “that the news report is false.” “The NIA HQ Guwahati has also expressed regret to the Commissioner of Police, Dimapur over the fabricated article published in some national print media,” the Nagaland Police informed. 


Revealing the sequence of events, the press release informed that on July 5, following a telephonic intimation to Nagaland Police, that a team of officers from NIA Guwahati will be arriving Dimapur on July 6, necessary arrangements for the NIA team in terms of logistics, accommodation, escorts/ security and transportation was put in place by Nagaland Police. 


This information was followed by a formal fax message received from SP, NIA, Guwahati requesting to examine the apprehended accused persons in the aforementioned case. 


On July 6, the NIA team led by a Deputy SP, NIA arrived at Dellai Gate, Dimapur. Upon arrival, arrangements were made to take the NIA team to COVID-19 Hospital, Dimapur for necessary medical screening and testing as per the laid down SOP for any person coming from outside, it informed. Accommodation for the NIA team at the Central Police officers' Mess, escorts at Dellai Gate and other security arrangement was arranged by Nagaland Police. 


“However, the NIA team expressed their inability to await until their test results and hence did not enter Nagaland but waited at Dellai Gate after giving a written requisition to the CP Dimapur for copies of case related documents, which was promptly made available to SP, NIA, Guwahati and received by the Deputy SP, NIA who arrived at Dellai Gate on July 6,” the Nagaland Police stated. 


After receiving all the relevant case records and documents from Dimapur Police, the NIA team returned back to Guwahati from Dellai Gate. 


On July 8, a second NIA team led by another Deputy SP, NIA arrived in Dimapur and after being subjected to mandatory COVID-19 screening and testing at District Hospital Dimapur as per medical protocol, they were taken to be lodged at Central Police Officers' Mess, Chumukedima addressing all their security concerns under police escort. 


On being tested negative and on receipt of medical clearance from Chief Medical Officer, Dimapur, the said NIA team was given access to the accused and they proceeded with their line of interrogation, the press statement informed. 


The Nagaland Police therefore stated that the aforesaid news report is “baseless, false and fabricated making a distorted presentation of what actually transpired.” 


Nagaland police, it said, “have always been sensitive on matters of National security and have been extending cooperation to all law enforcing agencies.” The State police, it added, have even in the past extended all cooperation to national investigating agencies and even investigating agencies of various States.