Shillong, Aug. 30: The 40-odd members of the People’s Rally against Corruption (PRAC) who were arrested yesterday were released unconditionally by the court of the chief judicial magistrate today.

The PRAC members were arrested yesterday for violating Section 144 CrPC and for attempting to storm the main secretariat.

Soon after their release, members of the PRAC said they would intensify their agitation against the state government, especially on the online lottery controversy, which they termed as the “mother of all scams”.

Senior PRAC leader Patricia Mukhim told newsmen that there would be no picketing programme from Monday but all other forms of agitation like public meetings, putting up of posters and distribution of pamphlets would continue.

The PRAC has registered its protest against the police for keeping the 42 arrested persons in a dingy room without proper sanitation facilities at the Madanriting police station last night. Chief judicial magistrate E.K. Sangma, in his order, said the matter would be looked into and an inquiry conducted.

In an emergency meeting held today, the PRAC — which is a conglomeration of different social organisations and pressure groups — condemned the high-handedness of the law-enforcing agencies towards the processionists and the adamant attitude of the government.

The PRAC also appealed to “all right-thinking citizens, specially government servants, to join hands with the PRAC in its bid to expose the corrupt practices and shady deals till it reaches its logical end”.

Chief minister F.A. Khonglam today held a brief meeting with his ministerial colleagues on the current situation.

Khonglam said he would stand firm on his decision not to allow anyone to take “the law into his hands”.

He said the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), of which he is an associate member, was “intact on the issue of the online lottery deal”, though party supremo Purno A. Sangma stated that the NCP would scrutinise the deal before taking a final stand.

The Congress, too, had a meeting today presided over by party president S.C. Marak.

The Meghalaya Democratic Party (MDP) has called an executive committee meeting at former chief minister B.B. Lyngdoh’s house.

Party president Martle Mukhim is likely to ask some of the party members who supported the deal to explain their stand on the issue.