GUWAHATI, Feb 14: Five days have passed since the arrest of five coal traders here on charges of tax evasion worth several crores of rupees but the Assam Police has remained tight-lipped in regard to disclosing any details of the interrogation which they say is under way.
The prime accused, Balwant Soni alias Bhama, and four others — Bikash Sharma, Bajrang Sharma, Surender and Jagjit Bhama — were arrested on the basis of an FIR filed by the department of Taxes, Assam, at Basistha police station last Wednesday.
The names of the accused were however conveyed to The Shillong Times not by police but by unofficial sources last Friday.
When contacted on Monday evening, one such source said that the police have maintained silence in regard to the case so far, hence no further update in the case could be scooped.
This correspondent tried to connect with Deputy Commissioner of Police (East), over phone to know the status of the interrogation of the accused arrested, but in vain.
“We are interrogating them and cannot disclose any details,” Basistha police station officer-in-charge D Goyari told The Shillong Times on Monday evening.
A case (number 180/22) under Sections 120 (B)/468/420/471) was registered at the Basistha police station based on an FIR by the Assam Taxation department earlier.
The department is reported to have conducted multiple raids across the city, including Bhama’s residence at Beltola here.
Joint Commissioner of Police, Guwahati Partha Sarathi Mahanta had earlier informed the media that the extent of the tax evasion was estimated run into several crores of rupees.
According to unofficial sources, the five accused coal traders hail from Haryana. They have been residing in the Beltola area here and allegedly operating coal business here. They have been accused of evading GST to the tune of Rs 40 crore.
“A vehicle (Fortuner), bearing registration number ML11 A 0117, has been seized from their possession by police after their arrest by Basistha Police. Other equipment, including a dumper and JCB operator, etc have been seized,” according to an unofficial source.