Asansol, Aug 30: Police have seized around 35 tonnes of suspected illegally transported coal from a truck near the West Bengal-Jharkhand border along National Highway 19 and arrested its driver, officials said.The operation was carried out following information about suspected illegal coal transportation.
Personnel from the Chowringhee Police Outpost under Kulti Police Station intercepted the truck during vehicle checks near the interstate border.Police said the vehicle was travelling towards Uttar Pradesh and was allegedly carrying documents that did not accurately describe the cargo.
According to investigators, the coal was concealed inside the truck and the vehicle was being transported with a purported transit document related to mustard oil. Police suspect that the document was forged and used to conceal the actual nature of the consignment.
Officials said the documents were reportedly prepared in the name of a company based in Uttar Pradesh, while the consignment was allegedly intended for delivery to a business establishment in Durgapur in West Bengal’s Paschim Bardhaman district.
The truck driver, identified as Sajjad Ansari of Govindpur in Jharkhand’s Dhanbad district, was arrested in connection with the case. The vehicle was also seized.Police have registered a case under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act.
The accused was produced before a court, where investigators sought his custody to continue questioning and examine possible links to a wider network involved in the alleged illegal transportation and trade of coal.
Police are investigating the source of the coal, the people responsible for arranging its transport, the alleged use of forged documents and the identities of others who may be connected to the case.The investigation is continuing, and further action will depend on the findings of the inquiry.
