SHILLONG, Jan 5 � A senior Meghalaya police official Ekwin Pala, incidentally the brother of Shillong MP Vincent Pala, allegedly involved in a robbery and kidnapping case, was granted anticipatory bail by a local Court.
Pala, as the Officer in charge of Mawryngkneng police station, together with his colleagues allegedly robbed a truck laden with non-ferrous materials worth over Rs 20 lakh at the Shillong Bypass on November 7.
For their involvement in the case, the police arrested sub-inspector Sudarshan Sangma, constable Claipson M Marak and MPRO (Meghalaya Police Radio Organisation) operator, constable Basant Lama.
However, Pala was admitted to hospital as he fell ill. �He (Pala) got anticipatory bail as he was admitted to the hospital and was not arrested�, East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police M Kharkrang said.
The case involved the robbery of the truck, which was carrying copper, brass and aluminium, allegedly by the policemen and subsequent kidnapping of the drivers of the truck, Saidullah Alam Laskar and Deep Kumar Nath. The accused police officials were posted at the newly-opened police station at Mawryngkneng on the Shillong bypass.
Condemning the slack approach of the police in the case, the Civil Society Women�s Organisation (CSWO) said it is surprising that the police have not challenged the bail application.
�Why is it that the police take their time in arresting influential people while they raid houses of the common men on mere suspicion? CSWO president Agnes Kharshiing asked.
Lambasting the police, she added that they do not hesitate to parade small time offenders before the media so that their pictures are flashed all over, but apply a different yardstick for people who are influential.
�This is the practice in Meghalaya where big scamsters are spared and when it comes to the common man committing small crimes, the Police call in the media allowing them to take photographs�, Kharshiing said.
The CSWO demanded that �such double standards� of the police must be done away with and the law of the land must be applied equally without prejudice.
