Meghalaya minister accused of encouraging bootlegging

Accusing Meghalaya home minister HDR Lyngdoh of encouraging bootlegging and hindering police duty, two social organisations demanded his resignation today.

Lyngdoh landed in a controversy after his secretary allegedly asked a police officer to drop charges against an illicit liquor trader who was caught yesterday on the outskirts of the city.

BC Shadap, police officer in charge at Bhoirymbong had seized a commercial vehicle carrying 3,500 bottles of illicit liquor and detained the driver in Umroi.

Shadap told reporters that a person, identifying himself as the secretary to the home minister, called him later to dismiss the case.

"I told him that you cannot bribe me. I will continue pursuing the matter and forward it to the court," he said.

The Civil Services Women Organisation (CSWO) and the Meghalaya Humanity Social Organisation (MHSO) demanded resignation from the home minister.

MHSO president Bibiancy Kharpuri strongly condemned the incident and accused Lyngdoh of "encouraging broken homes due to alcohol abuse and abetting crime by protecting lawbreakers".

"The minister should resign immediately," a CSWO spokesman said.

When contacted, the home minister said he was in Pune and expressed surprise over the charges.

"I don't know anything about it. I have no clue. My secretary also said he was surprised. The phone call to the police station was made from a number that did not belong to my secretary," Lyngdoh said over phone.