Kohima. The Nagaland Government's Core Committee on Naga Political Issues (NPI) has appealed to the NSCN (IM) to continue talks with the Centre. TR Zeliang, president of the ruling United Democratic Alliance (UDA), said the core committee headed by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio appealed during a marathon meeting with the NSCN (IM) on Saturday.

Some NSCN(IM) leaders who had arrived in New Delhi in April following the visit of Central government interlocutor AK Mishra to Nagaland, returned to Kohima last week. According to Zeliang, after his return, the NSCN (IM) leaders are saying that they will not hold any further talks with the central government. He said the core committee has requested the NSCN(IM) to continue the talks as it is only through this that an agreement can be reached. According to Jiang, the core committee will inform the central government about the discussions held with the NSCN (IM). State government spokesperson Neiba Kronu said the meeting was held to develop a better understanding with the NSCN (IM) for an early resolution of the Naga issue. He said that various objections were discussed in the meeting which lasted for about four hours.

According to Krone, it was agreed in the meeting that the demand for a separate flag and separate constitution for the Nagas of the NSCN(IM) needed to be discussed further. The need for the support of Assam Chief Minister and North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) convener Himanta Biswa Sarma was also discussed in the meeting, he said. "It would be better if someone could speak on behalf of both the Center and the Naga community," Neiba Kronu said. Asked whether the NSCN (IM) has agreed to involve Sarma in the process, Kronu said he has no problem.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested an assistant engineer posted in the Najafgarh Zone of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (Delhi MCD) for demanding a bribe of Rs 3 lakh along with his associate. It is alleged that these people were demanding bribes from the complainant in exchange for putting up the roof of the house being built by him. The arrested accused was produced before the special CBI court in Delhi from where he has been sent on a 2-day CBI remand for interrogation.

According to CBI spokesperson RC Joshi, those arrested include Assistant Engineer MS Meena posted in Najafgarh Zone of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, and his assistant Beldar Prakash. According to the CBI, the complainant had complained to the Anti-Corruption Branch that he was building his house in Najafgarh. During this, when he started putting the lens on his house, he was contacted by Beldar Prakash posted in the Najafgarh zone of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, and told him that he would have to pay a bribe of Rs 3 lakh instead of inserting the lens. This bribe will be taken by Assistant Engineer Meena.

What are the charges against the arrested engineer?
It is also alleged that the complainant was threatened that if he did not pay the bribe amount, he would not be allowed to insert the lens and even if he did, it would be broken as illegal. On the basis of the complaint, the Anti-Corruption Branch of the Central Bureau of Investigation conducted a preliminary inquiry into the matter and after finding important facts during this investigation, a case was registered in this regard under criminal sections, after which the accused officers were recovering an installment of ₹ 1 lakh from the complainant. was arrested red-handed.

According to the CBI, immediately after the arrest, raids were conducted on their premises, from where many incriminating documents including some property documents have also been recovered. The work of assessing the recovered documents is going on. The accused was produced before the special CBI court in Delhi, from where he has been sent on CBI remand for two days' interrogation, the investigation of the case is going on.