The traders have alleged that the tax enforcers collect huge amounts of money from them on insubstantial grounds
Sushanta Roy
Officers and staff of the Tax Enforcement Department, a separate division recently raised by the Taxation Department of Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council received rough treatment from a section of businessmen at the Sukanjan market of the Bokajan subdivision today.
According to information received, allegedly the group of tax enforcers fully clad in a mirror image of Assam Police went for examination of trading license in that market around 11.30 am; most of the marginal traders told them that renewal of their license is pending in the office of the taxation department, Diphu after payment of the enhanced fees.
After a heated exchange between the aggrieved traders and the enforcers, one local youth of the area who tried to pacify the situation received an injury from the angry mob, and one of the tax employees also received slender public bashing.
Police later arrested four persons after registering a case at Bokajan police station. The arrested persons are Rajkumar Rai, Raju Tripathi, Ajay Sing, and Jaggu Shah.
The traders have alleged that the tax enforcers collect huge amounts of money from them on insubstantial grounds, accusing them of trading in different grocery items and other merchandise under one license and other bizarre rules and regulations, without issuing any valid money receipts or vouchers, etc.
A marginal restaurant owner alleged that the group of tax enforcers forcefully consumed food from his eatery without payment, just to punish him for not paying them backhander.
Most of the traders in common have questioned the motive of the authority for not renewing their license even after collecting enhanced fees and professional tax.
The cognizant section of the society has opinionated in favor of a detailed enquiry to verify allegations of the trading community and fix responsibility on the actual offender so that trade and commerce of this autonomous area continue smoothly; as this is the principal revenue earning department functioning under the autonomous council.
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