SHILLONG: Social activist Amita Sangma said on Monday the nexus between the state government and the coal barons was exposed after it allowed NPP leader and coal dealer Nidamon Chullet to transport coal.
Chullet and his gang had assaulted Sangma and Agnes Kharshiing, who were probing illegal mining and transportation, on November 8 last year at Tuber Sohshrieh in East Jaintia Hills.
When contacted, Kharshiing said, “No wonder the investigation officer who probed our case did not add Section 120 (B) of the IPC (criminal conspiracy) even after I asked him to do so when he took my statement.”
Section 120 (B) states that “whoever is a party to a criminal conspiracy to commit an offence punishable with death, imprisonment for life, or rigorous imprisonment for a term of two years or upwards, shall, where no express provision is made in this Code for the punishment of such a conspiracy, be punished in the same manner as if he had abetted such offence”.
Though the police had arrested those who were involved in the crime and charge sheeted the case, all are out on bail.
Concerned over the new development of the government favouring Chullet, Sangma said it is due to the government’s nexus with coal barons that the state has not favoured either CBI probe or an independent inquiry into the matter.
Sangma wondered as to why the government did not go for an independent probe though the matter was serious. “If the relatives of those who are at the helm of affairs were attacked, will they allow the attackers to transport coal again,” Sangma said.
