ED attaches assets of 3 NSCN-IM members in money-laundering case

The Enforcement Directorate has attached assets worth Rs 7.65 crore belonging to three members of Naga insurgent group NSCN-IM in connection with a money-laundering investigation against them linked to charges of alleged extortion.

The attached properties belong to Alemla Jamir alias Mary Shimrang alias Atula Tongar, P H Shimrang alias James Jamir and Massasosang Ao and some other members of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (Issac–Muivah), the probe agency said in a statement.

NSCN-IM is a Naga separatist and insurgent organisation and Thuingaleng Muivah is its general secretary. It is currently engaged in peace talks with the Union government.

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Funds parked in 17 bank accounts, three fixed deposits and a residential property bought by Alemla Jamir in her name at Mohammadpur in R K Puram area of Delhi have been attached as part of a provisional order issued under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the Enforcement Directorate (ED) said.

Alemla Jamir is the wife of the self-styled ex-army chief of NSCN-IM Phunthing Shimrang.

While she and her brother-in-law Massasosang Ao are currently lodged in Delhi's Tihar jail, P H Shimrang is absconding, the ED said.

It said Alemla Jamir, her husband, Ao and other NSCN-IM members had "created a network for terrorising businessmen and disrupting their operations with an intent to collect extortion/illegal tax money from them."

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"Alemla Jamir had created false identities in the names of Mary Shimrang and Atula Tonger to obtain multiple PAN cards, passports, etc.

"Numerous bank accounts were opened in the name of Alemla Jamir, Mary Shimrang and Atula Tonger, her relatives and entities. Those and were being operated by Jamir and her associates for collecting, layering and laundering of proceeds of crime received through extortion or illegal taxation," it said.

The ED claimed the "extorted" money was used by Jamir and her associates to give loans to business entities and an exorbitant rate of interest was charged by them to "continuously grow" the illegal funds accumulated by them.

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