Shillong, Sept 28: The former general secretary of HNLC, Cherishstarfield Thangkhiew remained an accused in 82 criminal cases, according to the affidavit filed before the commission of inquiry by both the DGP and additional DGP (law and order).
According to the record of the Meghalaya police, out of the 82 criminal cases registered against Thangkhiew, 15 were for offences under Arms Act, 1959, ten cases were registered for the offence of robbery, 19 for the offence of murder, 3 for the offence of kidnapping and demand of ransom, 8 for the offence of extortion, five under the Explosive Substances Act, 2001, 6 under the Unlawful Activities Act and one case was registered for escape from lawful custody.
The affidavit said the active role of Thangkhiew in these cases reveals a track record of violence against uniformed personnel of the police forces and against the general public, besides use of firearms and explosives against police patrols.
Thangkhiew’s actions led to loss of life of several serving police personnel, civilians, and government functionaries and the same is a matter of record, police said.
The affidavit also said among other crimes, the HNLC and its cadres under Thangkhiew were actively involved in large scale extortion by serving ‘demand notes’ to various people demanding huge sums of money failing which they would be executed.
As per law, the cases against Thangkhiew remained pending and were neither withdrawn nor closed. And hence, as per law, he remains an accused in 82 cases, according to the submission of the police officials.
