Nagaland Home Minister arrested with arms & cash
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Agencies

Kohima, February 18 2013 : Just two days after Rs 1 crore was seized by security personnel from a candidate of Naga People's Front (NPF), Nagaland's Home Minister Imkong L Imchen was detained today morning near Wokha district for carrying a cache of arms and ammunition and Rs 1.10 crore in cash in a vehicle, official sources said.

Interestingly, all these incidents have come about one after another despite the fervent 'Clean Election Campaign' being spearheaded by Nagaland Baptist Churches Council (NBCC) in Nagaland which would go to Assembly poll onFebruary 23 .

SP, Wokha, Lima Sunep said Imchen, who was earlier detained, was put under arrest this evening.

Official sources said the statement of the Home Minister, who is the Naga People's Front candidate from Koridang seat and in-charge of the NPF campaign committee of Mokokchung district, has also been recorded.

Imchen was going to his constituency Koridanga in Mokokchung district from Kohima when Assam Rifles personnel, acting on specific information, set up a mobile vehicle check-post on the highway near Longsa village at 6:00 am and conducted search of vehicles.

Troopers of the Assam Rifles seized Rs 1.10 crore in cash, five pistols, two 7.65 mm calibre rifles and 140 round of 303 rifle ammunition from Imchen's vehicle at Sathupang area in Wokha district early Monday.

Confirming the report, Deputy Commissioner and Returning Officer of Wokha district R Vyasan said security personnel searched the vehicle and seized Rs 1.10 crore in cash, two .303 rifles with 100 rounds of ammunition, five 7.65 mm pistol with 80 rounds of ammunition and a case of liquor bottles.

Assam Rifles personnel after the seizure informed the Election Commission surveillance team, the district administration and the police, he said.

"Yes, the money belongs to our party (Naga People's Front) and it is our party fund, but I have no knowledge how the arms and ammunition were kept in my vehicle," Imchen told a news agency.

He refused to speak further on the seizure saying that the matter is under investigation.

Imchen is the Nagaland People's Front (NPF) candidate from Koridanga and is also the NPF campaign in-charge of Mokokchung district.

This is the second big cash seizure in poll-bound Nagaland.

On Saturday, election officials seized Rs.1 crore in cash from NPF candidate H.Nyemli Phom after his helicopter landed at the Assam Rifles helipad in Longleng district.

Phom, who is seeking re-election from Tamlu constituency, later claimed that the money was given to him by the party and was part of NPF funds.

The opposition Congress has demanded that the Election Commission take action against Imchen for possessing illegal arms and ammunition.

"It is unbecoming of a Home Minister to carry illegal arms and ammunition.

It is a serious criminal offence and the Election Commission should take action against him as per the law of the land," Leader of Opposition Tokheko Yepthomi said.

Charging the ruling NPF government of using money and muscle power to win the February 23 elections, Yepthomi said: "The seizure of money from the NPF candidates reflects the amount of corruption that the NPF government has indulged in the past ten years" .

"The people of Nagaland must realize that money seized from the NPF candidates is their money and they (people) should vote them out in this election," he added.

Former Opposition leader and Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) I Imkong said, "Disqualification of Nagaland home minister Imkong I Imchen will be a correct step from the part of the ECI" .

Calling the Nagaland Home Minister as a criminal, I Imkong accused that Imkong I Imchen has been committing criminal activities for some time now.

Mention may be made here that in the year 2010, Nagaland Home Minister Imkong I Imchen was detained at the Kathmandu airport for carrying Indian currency notes in the denominations of Rs.1000 and Rs.500, which are banned in Nepal.

Reports had stated he was carrying some hefty Rs 9 lakhs in hard cash during the time.

Nagaland will elect new legislators for the 60-member assembly Feb 23.Counting will take place Feb 28 .

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