Kolkata: Two ultras of the Assam-based National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), arrested from a city hotel, were being interrogated by the police to ascertain if militant outfits were being funded by major tea companies in West Bengal.

City police detective department's deputy commissioner Soumen Mitra said on May 3 that the militant organisation was suspected to be extorting money from tea companies, and the police interrogation was proceeding to ascertain facts.

"Our interrogation is proceeding in that direction since we suspect their role as extortionists," Mitra said refusing to divulge names of the tea companies believed to be funding the militant outfits in Assam.

The two NDFB militants were arrested from a city hotel on April 30 on a tip-off, police sources said, adding that "a huge amount of money" was recovered from them.

The money, sources said, was suspected to have been extorted from some tea companies having business interests in Assam.

According to the sources, help of the police teams from Assam and Jalpaiguri district of West Bengal has been sought to make progress in the investigations.

Sources said that the two militants were believed to have visited the metropolis on regular intervals, collect the money from the tea business houses having interests in Assam, and converted the fund into Dollars before returning to Assam.

PTI