DIMAPUR, Oct 17 - Coordination Committee on Fuel Adulteration (CCoFA) launched its first phase of indefinite NH-29 bandh in Nagaland today despite the State Government declaring it as �illegal�.
The CCoFA comprising civil societies called the highway bandh demanding transfer of the two fuel adulteration cases registered in Dimapur on June 27 last to CBI for investigation. The bandh began at 6 am with bandh enforcers halting movement of government vehicles and oil tankers at several points. However, no untoward incident was reported on the first day of the bandh.
Government vehicles coming from Assam side were barred from entering Dimapur and also not allowed to leave for Assam. However, Nagaland State Transport buses were exempted from the purview of the bandh.
There were no restrictions on vehicular movements inside the towns in the State, including government vehicles, but movement of oil tankers inside the towns were not allowed.
The committee warned that it will initiate the second or final phase of indefinite highway bandh totally stopping vehicular movement Statewide in case the government does not accede to its demands. It also requested Manipur tankers to avoid plying on NH-29.
The State Cabinet declared the badh illegal considering it would hamper movement of essential commodities and services besides causing inconveniences to the general public, Nagaland Home Commissioner Abhijit Sinha said in a press communiqu�.
Recalling the genesis of the issue, the government communiqu� said that based on specific complaints, police and administration on June 27, 2016 raided six locations in Dimapur and Chumukedima.
The team discovered that fuel adulterations were being carried out illegally and where several fuel tankers were seized and two cases registered at Diphupar PS and West PS.
Considering the seriousness of the cases and the inter-district/inter-State ramifications, Sinha said an SIT headed by IG (Range) was subsequently formed by the State Government on July 15 last for a thorough and detailed investigation.
Since the cases required investigations outside the State and Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) reports of the samples collected yet to be received, Sinha said the SIT was unable to complete investigation and submit the chargesheets.
On October 15, the Home Commissioner said the Cabinet, after deliberating on the representation submitted by CCoFA, decided that since the SIT investigation was in an advanced stage, it was not advisable to change the investigation agency at this juncture.
The Cabinet also directed the DGP to instruct the SIT to submit chargesheets in the court within the next ten days. The decision of the Cabinet was conveyed to CCoFA and urged upon it to call off the bandh.
However, he said, the CCoFA decided to go ahead with the indefinite bandh.
