SHILLONG: Pynthorbah's resident, Adelbert Sohtun, has filed a complaint to the Prime Minister's Office, accusing the Indo-Bangladesh border in Meghalaya of rampant illegal sugar export. Sohtun blames local MLA, customs officials, police, and Border Security Force (BSF) members for abetting this illicit trade. He claims that an organized network is operating, moving sugar-laden trucks from Assam to land customs stations such as Gasuapara, Borsora, Cherragaon, Dawki, and Dalu. Allegedly, at the police stations on their way, they pay from Rs. 2,500 to Rs. 3,000 per vehicle, whereas at the customs stations, there is an alleged payment of Rs. 40,000 for large trucks and Rs. 2,000 for the smaller ones for export clearance.
The rest of the complaint details how the spoils are distributed among them, including the local MLA getting Rs. 10,000 from small vehicles and Rs. 20,000 from large ones; the superintendent of customs gets Rs. 4,000 from small vehicles and Rs. 8,000 from large ones; the superintendent of police gets Rs. 4,000, and the deputy commissioner gets Rs. 8,000. This type of corrupt web within the system involves other officers. Sohtun contends that this syndicate works with absolute impunity and devastating repercussions on the national exchequer and inflation, which puts pressure on the general public. It takes undeniable form considering the organized nature of the racket; only transported vehicles with the endorsement of the syndicate are allowed to participate in illicit trade. Besides, there are reports that efforts made by outsiders to smuggle sugar are countered, showing the extent of command and influence by the syndicate in high places.
The complaint states that the syndicate involves activities that are a direct violation of the ban on sugar exports initiated by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade to manage inflation and protect public welfare. He, therefore, urges the Prime Minister's Office to launch an inquiry in all earnestness against those involved.
Sohtun has also reported copies of the complaint to a few officials, including Rohit Yadav, Joint Secretary, Prime Minister's Office, Nitin Agarwal, Director General of BSF, Vivek Joshi, Chairman, Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs, Vimal Kumar Srivastava, Principal Commissioner, Central Board of Indirect Taxes & Customs, and Suchitra Sharma, CVO & Pr. DG (Vigilance) of CBIC, among many others.
This unveils a more sophisticated network of corruption and illegal trade that puts the interests of the nation and the general public at risk and demands immediate attention and action from all those concerned with law enforcement agencies.
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