The Rising People's Party (RPP) has claimed that one of the persons summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) under Section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act of 2002 is Personal Assistant to Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio.
The Enforcement Directorate of Guwahati Zonal Office had issued summon orders under said Act to 5 residents of Sovima Village on February 24: Kuovisieo Rio, Mengutuo Rio, Dsesevi Pielie, Vibeilietuo Kets and Mhalelie Rio.
The matter came to light recently when their pleas for interim protection were rejected by the Kohima Bench of Gauhati High Court.
In a press release issued on Thursday, the RPP stated that out of the 5 persons, at least 2 of them have CBI cases pending against them since 2019.
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"However, the biggest shocker in the ED case is that Mr. Kuovisieo Rio, appointed in the CMO as the Personal Assistant to the Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, is one of the 5 individuals summoned to appear before the ED in Guwahati. This is nothing less than a direct indictment of the Chief Minister himself", it stated.
The party further stated, "It is believed that apart from the Personal Assistant, the other four (persons) are close confidants of the Chief Minister. It's incumbent upon the Chief Minister to clear the air regarding the money laundering case. The ED summon letter was issued months back on February 24 of this year but the deafening silence of the CM and the CMO in this matter till now is a story in itself".
It demanded that the Chief Minister publicly address the issue by way of press conference in order to put to rest all speculations.
Also, the RPP requested the Enforcement Directorate to pursue the case to its logical conclusion.
"This summon is a first in the history of the State and the harried general public reeling under blatant corruption is finally beginning to believe that the long arm of the law will finally prevail. The charge of ED being used as a 'political weapon' by the ruling Government at the Centre should not surface in this case", it stated.
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