MP Sushmita Dev demands CBI probe into supari syndicate

A CORRESPONDENT

SILCHAR: Hinting at an unholy nexus among ruling party leaders, police and corrupt traders, TMC Rajya Sabha MP Sushmita Dev demanded CBI investigation into Burmese betel nut (supari ) syndicate.

The demand, raised by Sushmita, who represented Silchar both in Assembly as well as in Lok Sabha, gained significance as Cachar police on Saturday summoned Saharul Alom, a BJP leader from Sonai and nominee of BJP MP Dr Rajdeep Roy. Police quizzed Saharul, who was also the chairman of Sonai Co-operative on the whereabouts of Altaf Hussain, a 'wanted' mastermind of supari syndicate. Saharul, after phase by phase interrogation, was later allowed to go.

Rajdeep Roy expressed surprise at the recent development involving his Sonai nominee. Saharul had family relations with Altaf and that might be the cause for summoning him, argued Roy. He, however, clarified that law would take its own course and nobody would be spared.

Sushmita, on the other hand, made a scathing attack on the BJP government for promoting illegal trading of smuggled supari. She claimed, without political patronisation, such syndicates could not run. Sushmita, who resigned from Congress and joined TMC, said that during Congress rule in Assam, there was no syndicate of smuggled items.

BJP had paved the way for such illegal trading which had ultimately hit the local beter nut producers and dealers. The government should consider the fact that Barak Valley was a large producer of supari and such a motivated drive by police would definitely hit the local supari industry.

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