Around 59 airports have been alerted by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) after a businessman was caught carrying ₹ 3.5 crore in cash and detained at the Dimapur airport in Nagaland.
After reports surfaced that many people are using the tax exemptions to tribals in the Northeast to transfer money, all CISF commandants have been directed to be on high alert.
The CISF’s order comes after the government has demonetised high value notes in an attempt to fight black money menace.
After an initial probe, the ₹3.5 crore cash was traced to Anato Zhimom – son-in-law of former chief minister Neiphiu Rio. The money was later found to be legitimate.
Being a tribal, Zhimon produced the tax exemption certificate. Besides, scheduled tribes in places such as Nagaland, Manipur, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram are exempted from paying taxes.
However, the incident set the alarm bell ringing among investigating agencies. The agencies suspect that people can use this path to transfer their ‘black money’ to these areas to convert it into ‘white’.
