GUWAHATI: Visits to coal depots in Byrnihat by a team of Assam Police reveal that a section of coal traders are absconding, apparently in a bid to avoid verification.
The criminal investigation department (CID) of Assam Police had constituted a team to verify the legality of the coal depots in Byrnihat following reports of illegal transportation of coal from Meghalaya, defying a Supreme Court ban on movement of the “black diamond”.
“We are on the lookout for some coal traders, including one Pinku Gogoi from 12th Mile, who are absconding. At present, there are some abandoned coal depots with only about two to three trucks of coal there,” deputy superintendent of police, CID, Assam police,” Deba Dutta, who is heading the investigation team, told The Shillong Times here on Saturday.
So far, 12 coal-laden trucks have been intercepted by CID, Assam police, this year. As many as 11 coal-laden trucks were seized by CID here on January 6 while one of them coming from Meghalaya was intercepted by CID, Assam police in the Khanapara area on the wee hours of January 23.
Dutta said that initially some coal traders in the area were not cooperating despite summons for verification. “Our checks/visits will continue and the details will be made known later this month,” he said.
CID sources maintain that illegally transported coal from Meghalaya is dumped in depots in Byrnihat near the inter-state border and subsequently taken to West Bengal and Bihar.