MANGALDAI, Feb 7 - Darrang Police on Wednesday seized a truck with several hundred cartons of IMFL manufactured in neighbouring state of Arunachal Pradesh, allegedly for illegal transportation. The truck (registration no. WB25J 3331), loaded with more than 300 cartons of liquor made in Arunachal Pradesh, was moving towards Mozaffarpur in Bihar when it was intercepted by the police. The driver of the truck produced some fake road chalans for carrying rice.
However, on inquiry it was found to be cartons of foreign liquor hidden beneath some sacks of rice bran. The market value of the seized liquor is estimated at around Rs 5 lakh. The police has arrested the truck driver Raju Shah of Mozaffarpur. �The consignment was completely an illegal one without any valid documents. The liquor has been seized against case no. 48/ 2020 u/s 379 IPC R/W Sec 53 (1)(A) of the Excise Act,� said Sub Inspector Biraj Mohan Deka, Officer in Charge of Kharupetia PSwhile talking to this correspondent.
Meanwhile, local sources have alleged that before the truck was seized by the police on way to Mangaldai from Kharupetia, two constables of Darrang Excise department in plain clothes had detained the driver along with the truck for around two hours. But they had neither seized the goods nor informed the police but instead they were escorting the truck. Gauranga Choudhury, Superintendent of Excise, Darrang when contacted over phone for his reaction, told this correspondent that on Friday afternoon two constables of his office went to Kharupetia to inquire into the matter as the officers were busy in other works. �In this case, the Excise department has no role. The seizure was done by the police only�, Choudhury maintained.
It may be mentioned here that, during this fortnight, this is the third case in Darrang and neighbouring Udalguri, when a large quantity of illegally transported liquor made in Arunachal Pradesh have been seized. On earlier two occasions, police from Rowta Police Station seized two trucks with such liquor bottles.
