EMN
Dimapur, September 16
Dimapur police have unearthed a well organized network of illegal taxation on transport and commercial vehicles reportedly controlled by some cadres of the NSCN (IM) and run from the offices of transport and goods carrier companies/agencies based in Dimapur. The racket first came to light when the Anti-extortion Team of Dimapur police arrested one Raja, a manager of a Guwahati-Nagaland carrying service/transport, with its office at Golaghat Road on August 30 for collecting illegal tax from transport trucks in the name of Company Goods Carrying Agency, suspected to be a fake agency, Additional Superintendent of Police/PRO, Dimapur said in a release today.
Police investigating the case were stunned to discover a big and well-organized network of illegal taxation running into crores of rupees and involving more than 17 transport and goods carrier companies in Dimapur.
Based on specific inputs collected by the investigating team, the office of one M/s Freight Carriers (India) Pvt. Ltd. located at MST Road, Dimapur was raided and searched on September 15 which led to the recovery and seizure of 43 illegal lorry challans of Company Goods Carrying Agency (Imphal, Manipur) on six wheelers and ten wheelers respectively traveling from Guwahati to Imphal, illegal lorry challan of All Manipur Commercial Agency (Imphal, Manipur) on six wheelers from outside Imphal and cash amounting to Rs 42,370. All the challans were signed and reportedly bore the signature of one John, an NSCN (IM) cadre, the release said.
The managers of the company identified as Rajbir Sharma and Vikash Sharma were taken into custody for questioning. During interrogation, the two managers have stated that the collection of money was made from all Manipur-bound transport trucks by issuing the seized lorry challans on the direction of the cadres of NSCN (IM). They also revealed that all the transport companies based in Dimapur are involved in the illegal collection.
Based on their disclosure, all managers and owners of the transport companies in Dimapur were summoned in connection with the case and their statements recorded. The transport companies involved in the illegal collection racket have been identified as Safe Express Pvt. Ltd (Khermahal), Ankit Roadlines (Circular Road), DCR Goods Canteen (Circular Road), Rhino Road Transport (Marwaripatti), Rhino Roadways Carloration (Marwaripatti), Prince Transport Corporation (Circular Road), Air Transport Corporation (A) Ltd (Nyamo Lotha Road), Hindustan Cargo Movers (PWD Road), North Eastern Carrying Corporation Ltd.(Circular Road), Matas Transport Pvt. Ltd (Blue Hill Station), Sugan Pariyahan Ltd (Kalibari Road), G.S. Hoshi Shingnapor Carrying Corporation (Circular Road), Sai Goods Carrier (G.S. Road), T.S. Goods Carrier (Kalibari Road), Shree Bharat Transport Pvt. Ltd and Old Rhino Transport Corporation (Marwaripatti Road).
Investigations have established the modus operandi of the illegal collection network. All Manipur bound transport and commercial trucks coming from outside the state are directed to report to the branch or agency of the transport company operating in Dimapur to pay the illegal taxation and obtain the tax challan without which the truck cannot proceed. On obtaining the tax challan, the truck reaches Mao Gate where an “In Gate Pass” receipt is issued on production of the tax challan.
The vehicle on its return journey has to produce the “In Gate Pass” receipt at Mao Gate to obtain an “Out Gate Pass” receipt, only after which the vehicle can return without further harassment. It was also disclosed that the amount taxed for the lorry challan of Company Goods Carrying Agency (Imphal, Manipur) on six wheelers is Rs 7500 per truck against the printed amount of Rs 75 and for ten wheelers the amount taxed is Rs 10,500 against the printed amount of Rs 105. The amount taxed for lorry challan of All Manipur Commercial Agency (Imphal, Manipur) on six wheelers from outside Imphal is Rs 1500 against the printed amount of Rs 150 and the amount taxed for issue of gate pass at Mao Gate is reported to be Rs 500.
All transport companies involved have been locked and sealed pending investigation on the direction of the district administration and police. The managers and owners of the transport companies were released on execution of PR Bond. Further investigation is on, the release added.
