
Shillong,Jan 31: Locals violating benami act to carry out operation of coke plants with Assam business men was mentioned by Enforcement Directorate during its raid..
ED PRESS RELEASE 30.01.2025
“Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Shillong Sub Zonal Office has conducted search operations on 28.01.2025 under the provisions of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 in several places in Guwahati and Kolkata connected to illegal coke plants in Meghalaya which were shut down due to an order of the Meghalaya High Court in PIL No. 14 of 2022.
Meghalaya High Court vide Order dated 16.12.2022 in PIL No. 14 of 2022 had ordered shutting down of all coke plants in the state of Meghalaya. An FIR was lodged by the ADC-Cum-SDO (Civil), Mawshynrut Civil Sub-Division after a joint operation with the police led to shutting down of 57 illegal coke plants in the Shallang area of West Khasi Hills District in Meghalaya, as a result of the above Meghalaya High Court Order.
ED initiated money laundering investigation on the basis of FIR registered in the Shallang P.S., West Khasi Hills District of Meghalaya.
ED investigation revealed that the coke plants were demolished because they were operating illegally, some without the required permits and others in violation of environmental regulations. Investigations revealed that the actual operators of the illegal coke plants were mostly from Assam and they were running the business of coke plants illegally in Meghalaya. Many coke plants were allegedly run in a benami manner in which it was shown to be owned by locals from Meghalaya whereas the actual persons were running the business from Assam. Investigations also revealed that these illegal cokes plants were consuming illegally mined coal and were not having any legal source of coal.
During the course of the current searches, several incriminating documents have been found and seized. Cash amounting to Rs. 14.2 Lakh were also seized and several high value cross border transactions were also found. Many property documents and a large number of Bank and Mutual Fund Accounts have also been found which establishes that the illegal coke plant industry in West Khasi Hills District had generated substantial Proceeds of Crime, primarily through the sale of illegally mined coal and processed coke.Further investigation is under progress”.