Assam Police Arrests Officers for Alleged Aid in Illegal Burmese Supari Smuggling

The Bilaipur police station in Assam's Hailakandi district arrested four police officers on Friday for allegedly aiding the passage of illegally imported Burmese supari-laden trucks from Myanmar via the neighboring state of Mizoram.

The police officers in question were accused of taking money in the pretext of assisting the illicit entry of Burmese supari into the state.

Speaking to the media, Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP), Hailakandi, Samir Dapat Baruah said, “From 10 p.m. till early morning hours, three police officers were stationed at the checkpoint. Armed Branch Sub-Inspector (ABSI) Munsi Murmu, and Armed Branch Lance Naik Ranjeet Gowala. The officer in charge of the Bilaipur police station learned that these three officials were threatening truck drivers and extorting money to allow them to enter Assam.  Because it was a border crossing, the officer in charge notified the Lala police station OC about the matter. They both arrived at the checkpoint and assessed the situation.”

During the investigation, the police officials handed over around Rs 42,500 to the officer in charge of the Bilaipur police station.

All three police officials were taken into custody and a case was registered against them under sections 164, 384 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

It has come to the fore that, out of the three police officials, ABSI Munshi Murmu and AB Ranjit Gowala are the police cadres of the 1^st commando battalion of the Assam police, while, Lance Naik Sanjay Roy is at the deputation in Hailakandi DFO.

Meanwhile, three more police officers were assigned to duty at the Dhalchera checkpoint in Hailakandi on Friday night: AB Chandrajit Sinha, AB Dilip Subba, and AB Lance Naik Ashim Sinha. AB Lance Naik, on the other hand, was accused of extorting money from truck drivers transporting Burmese areca nuts at the checkpoint.

“Newly recruited AB Chandrajit Sinha, AB Dilip Subba informed the matter to the Dhalchera police station and accordingly, the officer in charge moved to the spot and apprehended AB Lance Naik Ashim Sinha,” added ASP Samir Dapat Baruah.

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