Retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer JI Kathar who is also Adviser of 24+, a conglomeration of organisations demanding a separate electoral roll for elections to the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) and new land law to protect the hill tribes in Karbi Anglong, is reportedly getting extortion calls.
Kathar stated in a Press release that he was getting extortion calls from one person claiming to be Mr Hanse from the mobile phone no 6901019813 demanding money. Kathar further stated in the Press release that he told the extortionist that he did not have enough money. “He told me that I had enough money because I was the Adviser of 24+Organisations. I told him that 24+Organisations was facing a lot of financial constraints and was not even in a position to even meet the expenses for the court cases and other expenditures to carry on the work for implementation of the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India. The extortionist who introduced himself as
Mr Hanse threatened me and said that I did not love the people of Karbi Anglong. He also said that I had a lot of money collected in the form of donations from the people and if I wished, I could easily give him
Rs 24,000/- by way of collecting Rs 1,000 each from the 24 organisations.”
Kathar said that the extortion call is a bid to “malign his image by publishing false and fabricated news in the media”. The retired IAS officer said that he bears his own expenses and even for organising the programmes of 24+, he spends from his pension money. “Misguided souls like Hanse will gain nothing by killing me. I advise such people not to be used by agent provocateurs and work against the interests of the hill tribes’ people. Loss of one Karbi life is equal to loss of numerous lives,” concluded the release.