Guwahati Police recover rented vehicle allegedly being taken to Nagaland for illegal sale; 6 arrested

Guwahati Police have recovered a rented vehicle that was allegedly being transported to Nagaland for illegal sale and arrested six people in connection with the case.

Hatigaon Police launched an investigation after vehicle owner Ruprekha Das reported on July 27 that her vehicle, bearing registration number AS-01-GN-2716, had not been returned by Nabajyoti Medhi after the expiry of the agreed two-day rental period.

Suspecting foul play, Das tracked the vehicle using its GPS device and found that it was moving towards Mariani. Acting on the information, Hatigaon Police initiated an enquiry.

During the investigation, police received credible intelligence indicating that the vehicle was allegedly being transported to Nagaland for illegal sale.

Hatigaon Police subsequently coordinated with the officers-in-charge of Titabor and Mariani police stations and launched a joint operation, leading to the recovery of the vehicle and the apprehension of six people allegedly involved in the conspiracy.

Police also seized two other vehicles allegedly used in the commission of the offence — a Bolero Pickup bearing registration number AS-22-AC-0643 and a Mahindra Thar bearing registration number AR-01P-3745.

The arrested accused have been identified as Abhinash Saikia of Potidoiya in Golaghat, Bikash Das of 4 No. Gerukhoni in Golaghat, Kaustav Jyoti Saikia of Haluwa Gaon in Golaghat, Bhaskar Barua of Haluwagaon in Golaghat, Prandip Baruah of Natunmati in Sukupa Gaon under Mariani in Jorhat, and Anurag Choudhary of Shivpur in Mariani.

Preliminary investigation suggests that the accused allegedly conspired to fraudulently dispose of the rented vehicle by selling it outside Assam in Nagaland.

Hatigaon Police Station has registered a case under Sections 316(2), 318(4), 319(2) and 61(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023.

All six accused have been arrested and are being produced before a court with a prayer for police remand. Further investigation is underway.