The Nagaland Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) has refuted media reports, alleging that the Chief Minister – Neiphiu Rio was recently summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the state government withdrawing over Rs 70 crores towards the construction of a ‘non-existent’ High Court (HC) building in the state.

Therefore, in accordance with the law, stringent action is being initiated against those accountable for this reckless dissemination of this fake news.

According to a press release issued by the Media Cell of CMO, “On 13th October 2022, Amit Mukherjee representing the New Indian Express published a fake news item in which it is alleged that the Enforcement Directorate had questioned Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio in connection with ‘the non-existent High Court, etc.’ for several hours in a military facility at Rangapahar in Dimapur.”

“The same news has been circulating through various media and social media platforms. In this regard, it is made explicitly clear that the Chief Minister of Nagaland was never called by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with any matter connected with the High Court,” – the release further reads.

The press release added that “it was unfortunate that such false and baseless allegations were being made without verification, primarily to cause loss and injury to the reputation of the Chief Minister.”

As per the media report, the basic structure of the site is barely in place, but the Nagaland government till 2018 allegedly withdrew Rs 44.24 crore against electrification and water supply for the project site.

Besides, another Rs 22.42 crore for the construction of bungalows for the judges, the area for which was not earmarked.

“The amounts were siphoned out between March 2009 and March 2017 through 18 withdrawals by Nagaland’s Justice and Law Department,” – the report further added.