Huge demonetised cash seized in west Meghalaya, 4 held

Four persons were arrested in western Meghalaya for parking huge amount of demonetised Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes allegedly belonging to militant leaders, the police today said.
The arrests were made following a crackdown by the state police on local militant groups thwarting their attempts to deposit huge cash in bank accounts, they said.
"We have arrested four persons after they were trying to park huge cash amounting to Rs 28 lakh and 35 lakh on two occasions belonging to desperate militant leaders," police spokesperson IG G H P Raju said.
In the first instance, the police in East Garo Hills district traced and seized Rs 35 lakh from Garo National Liberation Army (GNLA) cadres Batsrang and Saljepa last month, he said.

Today, the police in South Garo Hills district have arrested Sengchang Momin and Solly Sangma after they deposited Rs 28 lakh in Tura, which belonged to a self-styled area commander of the same militant outfit, he said.
The arrested persons have confessed to have deposited the cash belonging to one Baichung, an area commander of the GNLA, he said.

The demonetisation move has resulted in militant leaders, who have amassed huge money in cash from extortions and kidnappings, getting panicky and trying to deposit through others' accounts, Raju said.
The state government had already issued a general alert that outlawed militant groups might park their ill-gotten money in bank accounts of civilians.

The Police have requested all banks in the state to be watchful of any suspicious deposits and to inform it.