Kohima: 45 Naga youths, who were in custody in Punjab in connection with an alleged call centre scam, have been granted bail. The Nagaland government is making arrangements to facilitate their smooth return home, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio announced on Thursday.
Taking to X, Rio congratulated the state’s Advocate General, K N Balgopal, and his team for their efforts in securing the release of the youths.
“I appreciate the efforts of Advocate General Shri K N Balgopal and his team in ensuring the release of our youths,” Rio posted.
The 45 Naga youth were arrested on May 15 under Sections 66(C) and 66(D) of the Information Technology Act, 2000, and Sections 419, 420, 467, 468, 471, and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code.
They were granted interim bail on Thursday by the High Court. The individuals had been employed at call centers operated by individuals from Gujarat and Maharashtra and were accused of sending fraudulent messages to foreigners and extracting money under various schemes.
The youths were imprisoned for four months, with both the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) and the District Judge rejecting their bail pleas. With their prolonged detention, the CM Neiphiu Rio intervened, taking into account the hardship faced by the Naga youth. The Chief Minister had instructed the Advocate General of the state to take swift legal action to secure their release.
The case was presented before the High Court, presided over by Justice Rajesh Bharadwaj, and heard over three separate hearings. During the proceedings, it was argued that none of the accused youth were beneficiaries of the alleged fraudulent schemes.
Instead, the actual beneficiaries were businessmen from Gujarat and Maharashtra, none of whom had been arrested. The prosecution, which claimed there were over 1 lakh victims, failed to produce any witness or conduct a thorough investigation, despite the availability of the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) between India and the United States.
Representing the Naga youth, the legal team led by Advocate General K.N. Balgopal, along with Advocates Paramjeet Singh Brar and Nitya Nambiar, successfully argued for their interim bail. The High Court acknowledged the lack of evidence against the accused and granted relief to all 45 individuals, including 10 women.
Throughout the case, the Chief Minister closely monitored developments to ensure the swift release of the Naga youth, highlighting the government’s commitment to justice for its citizens.
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