Graft charges against border security forces

SHILLONG: A day after the KSU alleged failure on the part of BSF to rein in stone smugglers along the India-Bangladesh border in the state, corruption charges against security forces manning border outposts and entry points have surfaced.
A resident of Bholaganj village in East Khasi Hills has alleged that security forces posted at border outposts and entry points were accepting black money from some exporters operating in the state.
Bimal Das asserted that the black money “comes directly to the hands of” Philosopher Iawphniaw, a mining lessee and his wife, who thereafter distribute the shares among all concerned.
“The carriers of this black money have been moving freely in the border entry points,” he said.
He further alleged that Iawphniaw and Mem Kharbani, an MLA candidate from Mawhati, have been running monopoly business for selling challans to exporters for the export of limestone from Meghalaya to Bangladesh.
Das revealed that the duo sold each challan at the rate of Rs 7,700 per truck of limestone. The normal weight of a limestone-laden truck is 9 metric tonnes and the sale price of limestone is Rs 5850 for 9 metric tonnes.
He stated that despite a net loss of Rs 1850 per truck, the exporters continued the business of exporting limestone to Bangladesh.
According to Das, the net loss is made up by the exporters by bringing in black money (Indian currency) which he alleged is made/printed/minted in Bangladesh and then brought to East Khasi Hills through the border entry posts and points.