A resident of Dalu, Koinadubi, John Dalton Sangma, has filed a police case against some Assam based coal exporters after they illegally moved coal from Meghalaya into neighbouring Bangladesh without any legal documents.
In the FIR filed in the Gasuapara PS under South Garo Hills (SGH) Sangma mentioned that in the intervening period between March 28 and April 23 this year, as many as 450 coal trucks were illegally moved into Bangladesh by M/S Maruti Fuels of Dudhnoi, Assam, through the land customs station in Gasuapara with nothing more than e-way bills – something that is not even related to export.
The FIR mentioned Kuldeep Bansal, a resident of Beltola under Guwahati, Assam, another Balwan Singh (Maruti Fuels) and his partner, Dharamvir Mehta (Bittu Coal) of illegal transport.
The modus operandi of the operators was to present e-way bills, apparently from Assam for export to coal through the port. The operators apparently defended themselves by claiming that the coal was being brought from Dudhnoi in Assam whereas in reality it was being moved from Jadigittim under Nongalbibra. All this was being done using an e-way bill from the taxation department, something that is not even applicable in export.
A similar attempt to again move coal from Jadigittim to Gasuapara was made even as late as two weeks ago but was stopped after objections were raised. A conversation with the DMR gates at Dainadubi, through which the coal was supposed to have been moved, found no coal trucks moving from Dudhnoi towards Gasuapara. However, hundreds of empty coal trucks were seen pushing into the state of Meghalaya through the NH-62.
“About 450 coal trucks from Maruti Fuels, Dudhnoi arrived at the land customs in Gasuapara before making their way into Bangladesh. Their claim is fraudulent as no coal originates from the state Assam. From the above noted points it can be ascertained that the export being carried out by the above-named persons are illegal, doubtful and highly questionable,” said the FIR by Sangma.
The complainant has now sought a police investigation into the matter adding that he was ready to submit proof to this end if required while seeking action against those involved in the illegal trade.
