Nagaland government team, students’ union meet accused, seek their speedy bail

GREATER NOIDA: A

team

from the

Nagaland government

and the Naga

Students

’

Union

(NASU) interacted with the youths who were recently arrested during a crackdown on bogus call centres in Sector 63, at the Luksar jail in Greater Noida on Wednesday.


Many of the accused — 36 of the total 126 — are originally from

Nagaland

and Manipur and came in contact with

government

officials for the first time since their arrest. The officials are trying to ensure speedy bail and said that many of the accused claimed to have joined the call centre only recently.

Officials also noted down the details of the accused’s relatives, many of whom are still unaware about the arrests. However, relatives and friends of some of the accused, mostly those based in Delhi, visited the jail on Wednesday.

After the interaction, Thomas Thailu, OSD, planning & co-ordination department of Nagaland, New Delhi, told TOI that some of those lodged in jail claimed to have joined work as late as December 15. He added that while some of the youths were working full-time for the company, some had merely joined to make some money around Christmas.

“I met some of the youths and found out when they had joined work. The family members of the youths were also present during our brief meeting. Our main concern is to get speedy bail for the youths. We were going to try for bail tomorrow but heard that the court will be closed from Thursday,” said Thailu. The accused have to remain in jail for five more days as the court will reopen only on January 1.

Government officials are planning to seek bail for all the youths at the same time even as relatives of some of the accused want to apply through individual lawyers. “They will not get bail, if delayed. Since the information about the bogus call centres came from international agencies such as Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), we have to take a decision soon,” an official told the families present.

As most of their relatives can’t reach Greater Noida from Nagaland at such short notice, members of Naga Students’ Union of Delhi met the accused and noted their names and contact details, promising to get in touch with their parents as soon as possible. Relatives of the accused looked anxious and scared.

“She is just 21 and not even a graduate. Her friend was working at the call centre and she joined only recently,” said a friend of one girl who was arrested.