Gabriel K Iangrai rearrested, says he was victim of vendetta politics

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaFebruary 14, 2023

Former Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Meghalaya Police Gabriel K Iangrai on Tuesday was released on bail after serving 102 days in the Shillong district jail.

He was later rearrested by the anti-corruption branch of the Crime Investigation Department (CID).

Iangrai was arrested on November 2, last year for allegedly misappropriating funds sanctioned for the construction of the Nationwide Emergency Response System (NERS) building in Shillong.

Speaking to reporters, the former AIG said, “There are a lot of skeletons in the police department. I am made a scapegoat. Now you see the police are already here to arrest me so that I won’t say anything.”

Stating that he has filed so many RTIs which will be an “expose”, Iangrai said, “There is an imminent threat to my life and to my family.”

He said cases against him are highly political coupled with some media houses which have been sponsored by some political parties.

“I am a victim of a high level khaki vendetta politics funded by many businessmen…who have failed to control especially through benami trade in Meghalaya police department,” he said.

The police officer said, “The moment I started my RTI campaign to some departments of the government to seek information on various issues and after filing an FIR with the Crime Branch police station against the breach of my rights as an accused against officials involved, my family members have been made scapegoat and unduly fabricated in a case by the police.”

“Further all the IOs of the cases registered against me are mostly non-indigenous. Further, prior to my joining as commandant of SF10 on being transferred from the post of AIG(A) a substitute commandant has already been place in my very chamber in a very systematic way,” he said.

Appealing to the high level khaki men to stop harassing his family members, Iangrai said, “I am willing to sacrifice my life for my family and not scared of any attempt to plug similar modules operandi of late Fullmoon Dhar, late Cheristerfield Thangkhiew, late PJ Marbaniang and a host of other gory stories which the police department are hiding which are still mystery and for which true answers are yet to be revealed.”

He further pleaded that he was innocent and said, “I am innocent on whatever cases registered against me until proven guilty by a competent court of law. My hands are clean and I have no stains of blood of any innocent. I have full faith in the judicial system of the land and shall continue to fight till the last breath of my life.”

Alleging that his human rights have been violated while in custody, Iangrai said he has filed a complaint with the appropriate forum.  

“My fundamental rights during police custody have been violated and a formal complaint has already been lodged to the court through proper channels,” he said.