Rs 1000 crore North Cachar Hills scam: NIA court convicts all 14 accused

A special court of National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday convicted all 14 accused in a Rs 1,000-crore scam in erstwhile North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council.
A Central Industrial Security Force guard stands outside the office of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in New Delhi. (File | AFP)
A Central Industrial Security Force guard stands outside the office of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in New Delhi. (File | AFP)

GUWAHATI: A special court of National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday convicted all 14 accused in a Rs 1,000-crore scam in erstwhile North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council (NCHAC).

A senior NIA official told reporters that the accused were convicted under various Sections of the IPC and the Arms Act. “All the accused were found guilty in the two cases. The quantum of punishment will be pronounced tomorrow (Tuesday),” he said.

The accused included Jewel Garlosa and Niranjan Hojai, who were the leaders of now-disbanded militant group Dima Halam Daogah (DHD-J), former chief executive member of NCHAC, Mohit Hojai, and a social welfare department officer, RH Khan.

The accused had allegedly siphoned off development funds of several government departments between 2006 and 2009. It was revealed during investigation that crores of rupees were diverted to the coffers of DHD-J for procurement of arms and ammunitions to wage a war against India.

The NIA had revealed in its chargesheet, “As per the conspiracy hatched in 2008, accused Mohit Hojai took over the charge of NCHAC and began siphoning government funds meant for the welfare of school kids, physically-handicapped and other government projects”.

Jewel Garlosa was the chairman of DHD-J while Niranjan Hojai was its commander-in-chief. They were granted an interim bail in 2011 by the Gauhati High Court on the condition that they would take part in peace talks with the government. The successful talks had led to the disbanding of DHD-J in 2013.

The duo had later joined the BJP and successfully contested the Dima Hasao District Autonomous Council (erstwhile NCHAC). In 2015, when the BJP wrested power from the Congress in the Council, Niranjan Hojai was elected its chief executive member.

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