SHILLONG, July 6 ? Meghalaya government has fired its second salvo against the Khasi Students? Union (KSU) constituting a separate intelligence cell to probe the extortion activities of the student body. The cell to be headed by a senior IPS officer W R Marbaniang, Commandant General, Civil Defence and Home Guards and Additional Director General of Police, will also investigate the assets of some of the KSU leaders and cases of forced collection of money by the students organisation.
A notification setting up the cell is excepted to be issued on Monday, Meghalaya Chief Minister Dr F A Khonglam told newsmen here. The cell, which will have a team of police officers assisting Marbaniang, will submit its report within a short time and anyone found guilty of crimes would be arrested, he declared. Dr Khonglam claimed that the government had unimpeachable evidence about the illegal activities of the KSU, based on intelligence reports. He, however, declined to react to counter-allegations of the KSU and KHNAM that he and Deputy Chief Minister D D Lapang had amassed money worth crores of rupees.
?The charges are baseless and politically motivated,? he said adding that he was not against the KSU. ?But some leaders who were using it as a cover to commit extortion and other illegal activities will be dealt with firmly as per law,? he stated. The Chief Minster also came out in support of implementation of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) in Meghalaya. The Cabinet will take a final decision on its implementation at a meeting here on July 16. He warned that anyone found indulging in extortion would be arrested under POTA if the Cabinet approved its implementation.