New Delhi/Guwahati: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) questioned former Nagaland chief minister T.R. Zeliang in New Delhi on Saturday in connection with a probe into the siphoning of state government funds to militant outfits.

The NIA had initially asked him to appear before it on March 13 but Zeliang expressed his inability to appear at short notice as the Assembly was in session and sought a postponement.

Zeliang, a leader of former BJP ally Naga People's Front, resigned from the chief minister's post this month after the BJP and its new partner, the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party, won the Assembly polls.

The NIA had questioned Ruokuovizo Chupuo, officer on special duty to Zeliang, and two of his public relations officers in February in connection with the case, which was registered in 2016 and pertains to allegations that some government officials helped the NSCN (Khaplang) to "extort" money from several departments as "tax".

Zeliang had earlier alleged that there was a "political conspiracy" behind the NIA issuing summons to him in the case.