By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: In an interesting development, CSWO president and RTI activist Agnes Kharshiing was arrested by the police on Tuesday morning from her residence only to be released on bail by a city court later in the evening.
Kharshiing was arrested following an FIR filed by the Meghalaya Secretariat Administrative Department (SAD) Deputy Secretary E Lyngdoh at the Sadar police station alleging that the CSWO president forcibly entered the Main Secretariat building along with three other women without proper authorisation on March 20.
As per the complaint, Kharshiing barged into the building through the first gate, after ‘abusing’ special branch personnel on duty, D. Shira and A. Dhar, who tried to prevent her from entering.
The RTI activist was booked under section 353 (Use of criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging his duty), 447 (punishment for criminal trespass) and 180 of the Indian Penal Code.
Later, in the day, she was produced before a city court, which released her on bail.
Kharshiing told reporters that as member of a committee on justice, formed as part of Meghalaya Legal Service Authority, she was trying to help the parents of a rape victim to enter the Secretariat to go to the media centre.
Several NGOs including the FKJGP, Impulse Network, KWWADA, RBYF and MSM, which rushed to the court later, backed her statement while shooting off a letter to the Home Minister Roshan Warjri to provide them with the CCTV footage of the incident.
Meanwhile, East Khasi Hills SP, M Kharkrang said that the police have always cooperated and worked in close cooperation with Kharshiing in her fight for crime against women.
“In this case, she was involved in a criminal case in a highly secured area and all action taken by the police was strictly as per legal provisions”, Kharkrang said.
