DIMAPUR, June 8 (MExN): The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the infamous police ammunition- diversion racket is in the final stages of preparing the chargesheet of the case. Director General of Police, O. Alem made the disclosure on Friday, June 8 on the sideline of a programme in Niuland.
The Ministry of Home Affairs is reported to have taken note of the case with utmost seriousness as it involves national security, even considering handing over the investigations to the National Investigation Agency.
Queried on this, the DGP said that the MHA was satisfied with the progress made by the SIT into the case. Skirting the details, the DGP said that so far the SIT has rounded up six persons and that certain documents and papers have been sent to Kolkata for verifying and obtaining expert opinion. The documents are believed to be evidences found against disgraced Wokha SP, S. Sejongmong Sangtam. The final chargesheet will be filed after the SIT receives expert opinion. It could not be ascertained whether a departmental tribunal or a civilian court will try the accused involved.
It dates back to April 20, when the Assam Rifles busted an ammunition racket on the outskirts of Dimapur while arresting one police constable attached to the Police Central Store, Chumukedima. According to Assam Rifles, the constable indentified as Enyimi Chakhesang was involved in siphoning of ammunition allotted to the Nagaland Police and supplying it to the NSCN (IM).
The NSCN (IM) connection is yet to be established. In the days following the busting of the racket, reports emerged hinting at the Assam Rifles exaggerating on that part of the story. These reports however could not be established. The busting of the ammunition racket occurred around the time when the NSCN (IM) and the Assam Rifles were in the midst of a standoff over detention of fully armed AR jawans by the former at Hebron camp.
The SIT investigation that followed led to the implication of the SP, Wokha and his subsequent suspension from service. The ammunitions that were seized during the AR raid were believed to have originated from Wokha DEF. In connection with this case, a second person accused of a hand in the racket was arrested by the Special Branch only recently from Chumukedima. The accused identified as Sashitsungba Ao was nabbed while he was trying to sell off a machine gun.
