Three elected members of the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council got life term for diverting Rs 1,000 crore of Assam government money to fund militant activities in the North East, The Indian Express reported on Wednesday. The National Investigation Court in Guwahati also gave jail terms to 13 others in connection with two cases. The convicts will also have to pay a fine of Rs 25,000 each.

Niranjan Hojai (pictured above), a former commander-in-chief of militant outfit Dima Halam Daogah (J), had joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in 2016 and was later elected as the chief administrator of the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council. Meanwhile, Jewel Garlosa, who was once the chairman of the same outfit, is an independent member of the Council and Mohet Hojai is a former chief executive member of the Council.

Hojai and Garlosa were arrested from Nepal in 2009. However, they were released on bail after they showed interest in initiating peace talks with the government. After the court’s verdict, Garlosa told the reporters that they were “withdrawing the ceasefire” agreement with the government. The DHD (J) had laid down arms in 2009, reported PTI.

In April 2009, the scam was exposed when DHD (J) militants Phojendro Hojai and Babulal Kemprai were arrested with arms and Rs 1 crore in cash. The NIA had filed two cases in June 2009 in connection with the scam and one of the cases was handed over to the agency after it was formed the same year.

The NIA probe had revealed that the DHD (J) had used NCHAC representatives and government officials to siphon off crores of rupees through hawala channels. The money was used to procure arms and carry out attacks on security forces and civilians in the state, reported PTI.