Pressure group leaders accused of extortion

JOWAI: A drug store owner in Ladrymbai, East Jaintia Hills has alleged that leaders of the Meghalaya People’s United Front (MPUF) demanded Rs. 1.20 lakh from him after detecting expired medicines at his pharmacy following a raid on April 1.
The owner of the store, Ali Imam said that when he failed to pay the amount, the MPUF members lodged a complaint against him with Ladrymbai Police.
Sources informed that MPUF leaders including president, Dapoiwanmi Laloo and general secretary, Aimonbha Syad along with others raided the pharmacy on April 1 following which some expired medicines were detected. It was also found that the shop was being run without trading license.
Instead of reporting the matter to the police or the concerned authority, the MPUF members allegedly demanded Rs. 1.20 lakh from the owner of the store and threatened to hand him over to the police if he failed to pay the mentioned amount.
“After Ali failed to pay the demanded amount by Friday  (April 10), which was the deadline set by the MPUF leaders, they reported the matter to police,” a source claimed.
Meanwhile, the drug store owner also lodged a counter complaint accusing the MPUF leaders of extortion.
East Jaintia Hills Police also confirmed that they have received a counter FIR, however, a case under proper section of law is yet to be registered.
This is not the first instance when a local pressure group has conducted a raid on shops run by outsiders and locals.