(Image for representation: PTI Photo)
DIMAPUR, APRIL 7 (MExN): The Rising People’s Party (RPP) has asked Nagaland Chief Minister, Neiphiu Rio to “clear the air” on the Enforcement Directorate summoning five persons under Section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2020.
The summon letters were issued on February 24 to five individuals, informed a press release from the RPP’s Joel Naga and Vitho Zao.
The individuals have been identified as Kuovisieo Rio, Mengutuo Rio, Dsesevi Pielie, Vibeilietuo Kets and Mhalelie Rio.
Following the summons, the five individuals had approached the Kohima Bench of the Gauhati High Court to declare the case against them as “void, non-operative.” A bench of Justice Nelson Sailo and Justice Arun Dev Choudhury rejected their pleas. Court orders for the same were made available by the RPP on April 7.
The RPP meanwhile alleged that one of the individuals, Kuovisieo Rio, is appointed in the CMO as the Personal Assistant to the Chief Minister. “This is nothing less than a direct indictment of the Chief Minister himself,” the RPP stated. The party further alleged “apart from the Personal Assistant, the other four are close confidants of the Chief Minister,” while it claimed that at least two have CBI cases pending against them.
The RPP said it is therefore incumbent upon the Chief Minister to clear the air regarding the money laundering case. “The ED summon letter was issued months back on February 24 of this year but the deafening silence of the CM and the CMO in this matter till now is a story in itself,” it observed.
The RPP demanded that the CM publicly address the issue by way of a press conference in order to put to rest all speculations.
Meanwhile, the party stated that “this summon is a first in the history of the state and the harried general public reeling under blatant corruption is finally beginning to believe that the long arm of the law will finally prevail.”
It urged the Enforcement Directorate to pursue the case to its “logical conclusion as per the available facts.” The RPP further stated that the charge of the ED being used as a ‘political weapon’ by the ruling government at the Centre “should not surface in this case.”
