TURA, Sep 17: At least two members of the Anti Corruption Foundation of India (ACFI) including its president were arrested by West Garo Hills (WGH) police over charges of intimidating and extorting money from local businesses under Rajabala police station in the district, as per a delayed report. Another member, who was named in an FIR, is currently absconding while other members have been served notices.
The arrests took place following 2 FIRs filed by at least 30 people from the plain belt who alleged that the ACFI members had been threatening them and demanding money from them. The FIR was filed on August 28. The FIRs were filed at Rajabala and Hallidayganj where the ACFI operated from. Another supplementary FIR was also filed albeit in the women’s PS in a separate case against the group.
As per the FIR, members of the ACFI, Rajabala unit, namely Abdur Rup Choudhury, Salim Islam, Azadul Islam and others have been repeatedly approaching the complainants demanding money in the guise of donations which felt coercive and demanding.
The FIR also stated that there was a feeling that the group was working without any authorisation and exploiting people’s goodwill to collect money illegally.
The ACFI members allegedly also demanded monthly amounts from legally operating ‘teer’ counters while threatening to stop their operations. Besides they were also demanding monthly amounts from tractors that were in operation around the area.
Following the complaint, a police investigation was launched which led to the arrest of the president, Abdur Rup from Rajabala, while Azadul Islam, who initially absconded, was later arrested from Kasaripara in Mankachar, South Salmara, Assam. The third accused, Salim Islam is still absconding and a look-out notice has been issued for him.
A highly-placed police source stated that the ACFI members had been harassing villagers and businessmen from around the area with demands of money. They would also file cases and media reports after which they would issue apologies, apparently after negotiating with those that they complained about. A recent case was that of a school in Rajabala against which explosive allegations were made before the ACFI came up with an excuse that the information they had provided was unverified and that too within two days.
While the first FIR was filed in Rajabala, a supplementary FIR was filed in Hallidayganj where many villagers, apparently harassed by the group, signed the complaint. “During the course of investigation, it was found that they also have offices in other areas which use the same modus operandi and extort money from people,” informed a highly placed source.
The arrested ACFI members are currently in judicial custody. While Abdur Rup was arrested on August 31, Azadul was arrested on September 2.
