GUWAHATI, Jan 6 - Eleven trucks ferrying coal illegally from Meghalaya were seized by CID sleuths at Khanapara here in an overnight operation, raising questions on enforcement officials, including police, transport and sales tax officials, responsible for checking in the area.
CID officials said the truckers could not produce any valid documents. All the drivers have been detained and are being questioned. The owners too are likely to be summoned for questioning.
�We had been receiving fresh inputs about illegal coal transportation from Meghalaya. The operation was launched at around 1 am on Sunday. By 6 am, we seized eleven trucks,� a CID official said.
The truckers claimed to have loaded the coal at the Byrnihat depot. However, they had no challans.
�They would have made the challans at Beltola and then proceeded to their respective destinations. Some were bound for Uttar Pradesh, some for Bihar and other places,� the official said.
The drivers claimed that the owners of the trucks had �managed� the enforcement officials for ferrying the coal.
Though the truckers produced weigh bridge slips, the CID is also verifying if they were carrying the permitted amounts.