SHILLONG, March 25 � A Meghalaya minister together with other MLAs from Garo Hills have received extortion notes from the nascent Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) militant outfit.
In the note, GNLA has threatened the minister and his family members with dire consequences if he fails to comply with their demand. The MLAs were similarly threatened.
The minister on condition of anonymity told The Assam Tribune, that he received the extortion demand through an SMS from the GNLA few days back.
The note demanded from the minister that he must �generously contribute to the funds of the organization or face the consequences.�
�I received another SMS saying, �we welcome the ANVC to the jungle,�� the minister added.
Director General of Police, Sibabrata Kakati said a case has been registered against GNLA after it served an extortion note to a former Inspector General of Police in Garo Hills. But he added that no such case relating to a minister receiving extortion was registered by the police.
Before serving extortion notes to the MLAs and the minister, several businessmen and coal dealers have received similar SMSes from GNLA in the past few months demanding anything between Rs 20 to Rs 30 lakh.
GNLA is reportedly being headed by a senior Meghalaya police official Champion R Sangma who turned rogue. The outfit consists of deserters from the Achik National Volunteers Council and Liberation of Achik Elite Force.
Champion Sangma is �missing� from service for several months and formed the GNLA after being �harassed� by personnel of the Home department.
In the Assembly today, Chief Minister in-charge Home replying to a call attention motion on Champion Sangma said, all police stations were ordered to be on �maximum alert and monitor the activities and movements� of the missing Deputy Superintendent of Police.
Earlier, James Sangma from the Opposition NCP moving the motion said, Champion Sangma after serving for four years and even as an assistant commandant of a battalion was still on probationary. This, he added, may have led to frustration and he later joined the militant outfit.
The government, meanwhile, has stopped the salary of Champion Sangma. The police is hunting for him after serving a show-cause notice for remaining absent from duty without information.
