Mumbai Special Task Force initiates probe against Nagaland BJP Minister Temjen Imna Along :::: Amit Shah slams Rahul Gandhi for controversial remarks abroad

Special Task Force (#STF) of Mumbai Police's Economic Offences Wing (EOW) informed Bombay High Court that it has initiated a Preliminary Enquiry against Temjen Imna Along, a Cabinet Minister in Nagaland and a former state BJP president.   

The probe follows a court order from a bench comprising Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Prithviraj Chavan, issued during a hearing on a petition filed by Hazel Mercantile Limited, a Mumbai-based company. 

The case was presented by lawyers Vivek Kantawala, Amey Patil, and Vivek Sharma.

Due to Along's status as a Cabinet Minister, Deputy Commissioner of Police Sangramsinh Nishandar of the STF forwarded the complaint to the Nagaland Lokayukt on June 24, 2024, for their consideration. However, Hazel Mercantile Limited sought a stay on this referral, arguing it was unnecessary.

According to Hazel Mercantile Limited, between 2015 and 2018 — when Along did not hold a public office — he approached the company to invest in Nagaland. 

Subsequently, on April 21, 2015, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed, under which the company invested approximately Rs 125 crore. The MoU also included construction contracts and agreements for the supply of rice and sugar.

However, the company alleged that after fulfilling all supply commitments and raising invoices, Along began avoiding contact with their representatives. The company lodged a complaint with the EOW on February 9, 2024, after allegedly receiving no response from the Nagaland Minister.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah slams Rahul Gandhi

"Speaking anti-national things and standing with forces that break the country has become a habit of Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party. Whether supporting the anti-national and anti-reservation agenda of JKNC in Jammu and Kashmir or speaking anti-India things on foreign forums, Rahul Gandhi has always hurt the security and sentiments of the country...," he tweeted.

"By talking about ending reservation from the country, Rahul Gandhi has once again brought the anti-reservation face of the Congress in front of the country...I want to tell Rahul Gandhi that as long as there is BJP, no one can touch reservation and no one can play with the unity of the country," the Home Minister said. 

BJP MP Dinesh Sharma says, "This is very unfortunate. All sections are hurt by his statement, you say something but do something else. You used to accuse BJP that it would scrap reservation and finish Constitution. 

But you yourself are speaking about scrapping reservation. Your frustration is out now...Your Sam uncle (Sam Pitroda) is providing you different kinds of training. He might say that you are not 'pappu' anymore but his training camp has failed."  

On Congress leader and Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi meeting US Congresswoman Ilhan Omar in the US, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla says, "After making anti-Sikh, anti-reservation statements and after questioning Indian institutions from a foreign land, Rahul Gandhi is now meeting anti-India elements. 

Colluding with anti-national elements while opposing one party, this is not happening for the first time. Who is Ilhan Omar? She brought a resolution against India in the US Congress, she visited PoK on a Pakistan-sponsored trip and violated the sovereignty of India, she met Imran Khan and discussed Islamophobia in India. 

"When India abrogated Article 370, she spoke against India's position and endorsed Pakistan's position. Ilhan Omar has spread hatred against Hindus. UBT leader Priyanka Chaturvedi also speaks against her.

 What is the compulsion for Rahul Gandhi, what is this lust for power that you are meeting such anti-national forces? INDI Alliance leaders should tell if meeting such people is right?"