Is black money being laundered through Naga tribes tax exemption status?

GUWAHATI | CHANDIGARH: Two charter planes have landed in Dimapur airport from Hisar in a span of one week, raising suspicion in the revenue intelligence wing that some black money holders could be using Naga tribes’ tax exemption status to rescue slush funds.

Amarjeet Kumar Singh, a businessman, had on Tuesday flew from Hisar to Dimapur with Rs 3.5 crore cash in demonetised Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 notes. He was apprehended by Central industrial security Force (CISF), and there were reports that the cash had disappeared.

LL Dungell, director general of Nagaland police, on Wednesday clarified there is no complaint in connection with chartered jet as Anato Zhimom, a local businessman, had claimed the cash.

“The income tax sleuths have verified the same. A local businessman has produced income tax exemption certificate and claimed that money belonged to him. The businessman being a tribal is entitled to exemption. Income tax officials after detail investigation has handed over cash to him,” Dungell told ET.

Zhimom is son-in-law of former chief minister and Lok Sabha MP Neiphiu Rio of Naga People’s Front, an ally of BJP.

Last week, too, a chartered jet had landed in Dimapur from Hisar. Haryana police and Hisar aerodrome officials said it is for the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to check luggage of people hiring charter planes.

“The authority to check luggage of a person hiring charter plane lies with the DGCA or Intelligence Bureau. We don’t have the authority,” said Capt. Shailender Hooda, Hisar aerodrome in charge.

“Though we did ask him (Singh) if the has anything objectionable in the suitcase, to which he refused.”