Shillong, July 11: In its drive against militants, the police today lodged FIR against 79 businessmen in Meghalaya for allegedly donating money to banned insurgent outfit Hynniewtrep National Volunteers Council (HNLC) - taking the total number of arrests to 161. Seventy-four businessmen, against whom the FIR was filed were lodged in Sadar police station and five in Laban, the police said today.
Till yesterday, FIRs were lodged against 79 traders and three state government officials in the capital city. Among those arrested, 41 businessmen were granted bail by district magistrate D P Wahalang today after they furnished a bail bond of Rs 25,000 each and on condition of cooperating with the investigating officer when required.
The state government took legal action against the businessmen and government officials after a special operation team arrested some of the top-ranking cadres from the finance wing of the HNLC and seized documents showing payment by the traders to the outfit. Meanwhile, resentment was brewing up among businessmen who alleged that the donation was given "under duress" and "at gunpoint." Bureau Report