SHILLONG, May 28 � Alleging that �armed men� manning illegal check-gates along the highways in Meghalaya were extorting money from coal-laden trucks, a truckers body today demanded a CBI inquiry into the menace, saying politicians were hands-in-glove with the elements.
�The earlier Congress government had dismantled the illegal gates. But with the new government headed by Mukul Sangma coming to power, the illegal gates have started mushrooming and forcing the truckers to pay Rs 3,200 per truck per trip on NH-62. There are more than 29 such illegal toll gates manned by armed people,� the North East Truck Owners and Operators� Association said in a representation to Governor RS Mooshahary.
The association said truckers are forced to pay money without being issued any receipt. �We believe that there are some politicians who are involved in this extortion,� it said.
�Even in case of the legal toll gates, not even 20 per cent of the money collected goes to the government exchequer. The association believes that there is a very big scam on NH-62 in which crores of rupees is being lost by the Meghalaya government,� the truckers� association said.
Referring to the legal gates, the association said, as per the information received under the RTI Act, the Dainadubi sales tax check-gate accounted for Rs 33.5 lakh revenue raised from 1,95,264 trucks during April 2007 and October 2009. � PTI
