SHILLONG: The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Shillong Sub Zonal Office, conducted search operations on January 28 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, at multiple locations in Guwahati and Kolkata. The raids were linked to illegal coke plants in Meghalaya that had been shut down following a High Court order.
The Meghalaya High Court had issued an order on December 16, 2022, directing the closure of all illegal coke plants operating in the state. Following this, an FIR was lodged by the Sub-Divisional Officer of Mawshynrut Civil Sub-Division after a joint operation with the police led to the shutdown of 57 illegal coke plants in the Shallang area of West Khasi Hills.
Based on this FIR, the ED launched a money laundering investigation. The probe revealed that the coke plants were demolished for operating illegally, some without the necessary permits and others in violation of environmental laws.
The ED said that people from Assam were actually running the illegal coke plants. Many plants were falsely registered under the names of Meghalaya locals, but the real owners controlled them from Assam. The investigation also found that these plants used illegal coal and had no legal way to get it.
During the search operations, the ED seized incriminating documents related to the coke plants, along with Rs. 14.2 lakh in cash. Officials also detected several high-value cross-border transactions. Additionally, property documents, as well as a large number of bank and mutual fund accounts, were recovered, confirming that the illegal coke industry in West Khasi Hills had generated significant "proceeds of crime" through the sale of illegally mined coal and processed coke. The ED stated that, “Further investigation is underway.”
ALSO READ: Manipur: Tripartite Meeting on District Creation Issue Concludes with Proposal Agreement
ALSO WATCH: