SHILLONG: The proscribed HNLC has once again started its extortion activities by serving demand notes to few local businessmen in the city even as the outfit has adopted a new method of operandi by asking the businessmen to make payment in the name of a non-existing sports club.
“We have received intelligence inputs that the proscribed outfit is demanding money from the local businessmen ranging up to Rs 10 lakh. The acknowledgement for such payment will be given in the name of some non existing sports club,” East Khasi SP M Kharkrang told newsmen here on Wednesday.
The senior police official informed that this information was received about a month ago and till date no one has come forward to register a complaint.
According to Kharkrang, the outfit is trying to mislead the police by asking business owners to make acknowledgement of such pay in the name of the non-existing sports club.
“The declaration of the HNLC as an unlawful association has again been extended by the Union Government with effect from November 16, 2014. Therefore, any kind of assistance rendered to them in cash or kind will amount to contravention of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 and make such donor liable for prosecution under Section 13 of the Act”, he said.
Convincing the people that HNLC is a spent force with nothing left, Kharkrang requested those who are served with demand notes to come forward and share the information with the police.
“There is no reason for the people to be wary about the HNLC”, he said adding that sharing of information in this regard will enable the police to tackle the situation.
He also assured that the utmost confidentiality will be given to those who comes forward with the information while adding that the police will take up the issue without compromising the identity of the persons concerned.
He however, issued a strict warning to those people who are involved in assisting the HNLC stating that if the police gathers evidence of any person assisting the outfit in cash or kind, legal actions as per law will be taken against such donor.
“We are still investigating and it is just a matter of time before we get to the bottom of this criminal activity”, Kharkrang said.
Meanwhile, Kharkrang also informed that recently, three HNLC cadres were picked up by the Mizoram police while they were trying to cross the borders.