Nagaland Chief Minister asks Advocate General to look into detention of 45 Naga youth in Punjab

DIMAPUR — Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has directed Advocate General, Nagaland, K.N. Balgopal to personally intervene and look into the detention of 45 Naga youth in the Mohali Jail, Punjab, in connection with allegedly working in fake call centres.

The CM discussed the matter with the advocate general in New Delhi on Saturday, informed an update, adding that the latter had been asked to “depute his team to take urgent necessary actions for the release of the innocent Naga youths who are falsely implicated in this case”.

“Rio also directed the Resident Commissioner in-charge of Nagaland House, New Delhi to be in touch with the families of the innocent Naga youth and extend all necessary help required for them,” read the update.

Meanwhile, parents and relatives of the detained Naga youth have been requested to provide all information and co-operation to the government of Nagaland in order to get the innocent Naga youths released.

It may be mentioned that the Punjab police had arrested around 155 youths, including 45 from Nagaland, on May 15, in connection with allegedly working in fake call centres.

In this regard, Neeraj Punj, a volunteer with the ‘Helping Hands’ organisation and a lecturer at Punjab University, had recently appealed to the state government to intervene on behalf of detained Naga youths.

The press secretary of Deputy Chief Minister and in-charge of Home, had informed this newspaper that the home department has taken cognisance of the matter and had sent state police to take stock of the situation.