Nagaland News | Police action on MRP recovery nexus; 3 arrested

Nagaland News | Police action on MRP recovery nexus; 3 arrested

Nagaland News

In a significant development, following condemnation by DCCI regarding fraud in affixing MRP tags in shops, Dimapur Police Commissionerate has taken decisive action against the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) fraud and extortion network affecting Dimapur. On Tuesday, three people were arrested in connection with this illegal activity.

In an official statement released by the CP’s office, it was disclosed that two individuals affiliated with NSCN (I-M), known as ‘tatar’ Khekato Zhimomi and ‘leacy’ Khukivi Aye, were apprehended along with Rabi Dey, who operates a paan kiosk in Sematilla. Moreover, law enforcement authorities have pinpointed Bishnu Hardware in Dhobinalla, Nagaland Hardware in Bata Charali, MP Enterprise in Khermahal, and Sunil Cloth Store in Church Road as key hubs of the deceptive Maximum Retail Price (MRP) network. The statement outlined that legal proceedings have been initiated at East PS and West PS, with ongoing investigations into the matter.

According to the Commissioner of Police (CP), the modus operandi of the arrested fraudsters was to install MRP tagging devices and tags in selected shops in connivance with Rabi Dey. Subsequently, NSCN (I-M) members will raid these shops and accuse the owners of removing the original MRP and tagging increased MRP on the items with price-tagging devices.

According to CP, some shop owners were forcibly taken or called to camps, threatened and tortured, and videos were coerced into making them confess to price manipulation using tagging devices. CP revealed that these owners were warned with videos being circulated on news platforms or social media if they did not comply with the demands. In fact several videos were shared with news outlets. Additionally, the CP revealed that Rabi Dey was on the payroll of Hekato and had acquired five tagging devices and MRP tags through online marketplace 'Flipkart'.

A price-tagging device was seized from Dey's shop, with three price-tagging devices already in use and another device expected to be delivered on April 27.

Using this modus operandi, the accused extorted huge amounts of money from several business owners in Dimapur, the CP said.