The Garoland State Movement Committee (GSMC) today defended the action of its leader who allegedly tried to extort money from a petrol pump in Mendipathar, North Garo Hills, stating that they were falsely accused.
On January 5, several members of the GSMC, including its chairman Balkarin Marak, senior leaders Ryan Marak and Rahul Marak along with other members were accused by the owner of the petrol station of attempting to extort a sum of Rs 10 lakh. When the owner refused to pay, he said in his police complaint, the GSMC members filled the tanks of their vehicles and left without payment.
Based on the FIR, four members of the pressure group were arrested by police.
However, In a press release today evening, the GSMC stated that the complaint, made to police by depot manager Rohit Jain and the owner Shripal Jain, was studded with inaccuracies and lies.
Instead, the GSMC claimed that it had received complaints from locals that the petrol station was cheating the public by charging them for fuel that was not filled into their tanks.
The press release claimed that the GSMC leaders had visited the depot to question the manager but were asked by Jain to settle the matter through negotiation amicably, which they refused.
“As we were not coming to any negotiation, our leaders were falsely accused by the depot manager and owner through a different narrative,” added the release.
Furthermore, the GSMC said that when it tried to file a counter FIR with the police, the officers of the Mendipathar police station refused to accept it.
When contacted on this, Superintendent of Police Abraham T Sangma explained that when the GSMC leader who came to the police station was asked to furnish his full details, including address and names of parents, he refused.
“As it is a legal matter, we cannot take an FIR based on the civil society organization designation. Furthermore, the matter of less fuel being given needs to be informed to the Deputy Commissioner, Legal Metrology Department or the Consumer Court for redressal. What expertise do we have in such matters?” the SP stated.
