CMO Nagaland refutes report of ED questioning Neiphiu Rio; says ‘action’ initiated against those spreading ‘fake’ news

Dimapur, Oct. 14 (EMN): The Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), Nagaland, has accused The New Indian Express of publishing a “fake news item” by Amit Mukherjee, which alleged that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had questioned Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio for several hours at a military facility in Rangapahar, Dimapur, in connection with ‘the non-existent High Court building’.

The CMO, through a press release, “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”.

It went on to state that leveling “such false and baseless allegations” without verification, primarily to tarnish the reputation of the chief minister, was “unfortunate”.

“Action, in accordance with the law, is being initiated against those concerned and those who are responsible for this reckless dissemination of this fake news. And the concerned Department will clarify the other aspects of the news item,” read the press release.

The CMO issued the statement a day after the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) condemned the report, terming it as “false” and “malicious”, while demanding the state government to book the “culprits” under relevant laws.