FIR against RTI activist over slander

TURA: A criminal defamation case has been filed against a self-styled RTI activist from Williamnagar for tarnishing the image of a court petitioner by leveling unsubstantiated allegations relating to a recent writ petition on coal auction in the Garo Hills.
Complainant Pillarson D Sangma filed a criminal complaint against the RTI activist Nilberth Ch Marak of Williamnagar for accusing him of blackmailing some of the bidders for the auctioned coal with an interest for monetary gains.
The RTI activist, who, at times, is alleged of selectively targeting corrupt public leaders, had publicly accused Pillarson of filing a writ petition in the Meghalaya High Court against three bidders of the coal auction, which took place in Garo Hills with an intent on financial gain.
“Nilberth Ch Marak, who declared himself social activist, accused me of filing the writ petition just to blackmail Jia Sangma, Georgeman Marak and Prokash Sangma for monetary benefits and misusing the court of law. I had filed the writ petition against the illegal public auction of so-called unclaimed coal by both district magistrates of South and East Garo Hills and even got a stay order on its transportation because the auction procedures laid down by the state Mining and Geology Department were not followed in the auction,” stated Pillarson Sangma in his police complaint.
He also justified his moving of the high court against the auction pointing out that filing a complaint or a petition against anyone who has broken the law is everyone’s fundamental rights laid down in the constitution of the country.