The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) has announced that it will not file a First Information Report (FIR) regarding the recently exposed extortion racket allegedly run by Meghalaya Police personnel. KSU leader Reuben Najiar has instead turned the spotlight on police leadership, questioning the purpose of lodging a complaint with the very department accused of the wrongdoing.
The controversy stems from a sting operation conducted by the KSU on September 30, which captured video evidence of police personnel illegally collecting between Rs 200 and Rs 500 from trucks along the National Highway at the Mawkhanu and Thangshalai stretch in East Khasi Hills. Following the release of the footage, East Khasi Hills Superintendent of Police (SP) Vivek Syiem confirmed that an inquiry was initiated, leading to the suspension of the constables involved and the transfer of the Diengpasoh Officer-in-Charge.
Despite these disciplinary actions, Najiar argued that the system demands broader accountability. He asked who would take responsibility for the alleged corruption involving police personnel, directly questioning whether the SP would accept accountability given that the illegal collections occurred under his supervision. Najiar alleged that the extortion points to a deeper system of collective corruption, questioning the silence of the police department, the district administration, and the government.
Najiar also drew a sharp contrast between the authorities’ handling of the extortion allegations and their swift crackdown on KSU members following disturbances during a union rally on August 19. Highlighting what he perceives as a double standard, Najiar criticized the police for arresting union leaders over the unrest, despite the KSU maintaining that they did not instigate the violence and that the rally may have been hijacked by external elements.
“They allowed the rally to continue for more than 2 hours and only after it ended we came to know [about the violence] through the media,” Najiar stated, questioning why the SP and Deputy Commissioner did not contact union leaders to halt the procession if there were concerns.
“You arrest us because we held a rally, okay. Now the police are extorting money, whom will you arrest?” he challenged.
The KSU’s refusal to file an FIR and their subsequent public statements have intensified the debate around police accountability in the state, prompting public demands for an impartial and independent inquiry into the alleged systemic corruption.
