Five Held in Beltola Bazar for Collecting Illegal Taxes from Vendors

In a joint operation, the Basistha and Dispur police conducted a raid at Beltola Bazar on Thursday, uncovering an alleged illegal tax collection racket operating for an extended period. Authorities acted on complaints that middlemen were collecting excess fees from vendors, exceeding the rates set by the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC).

During the operation, police detained five individuals identified as Chandan Barman, Biraj Das, Tapan Deka, Nayanjyoti Das, and Anish Mes. The raid led to the seizure of nearly Rs 1 lakh in cash, multiple mobile phones, and tampered GMC receipts, which were allegedly used to extort money from vendors.

Reports suggest that the accused were collecting amounts ranging from Rs 70 to rs 1,000 per shop, far exceeding the legally approved rates. Police suspect that the GMC receipts were tampered with to facilitate the illegal collections.

An investigation is currently underway to uncover the full extent of the scam, with authorities vowing strict action against those involved.