BJP MLA grabs coal plant owned by Kolkata bizman, alleges letter written to Assam CM

A Kolkata-based businessman has alleged that aides of a BJP MLA in Assam, at the behest of the MLA, has forcefully grabbed a coke plant set up by the businessman in Tinsukia district of the state. The incident came to light after the businessman had written a letter to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on October 4 complaining about “gundaraj” by the MLA and his associates and seeking the chief minister’s intervention in the matter. Till the time of filing this report, no action has been taken though district police has claimed that they are investigating the complaint. 

According to the letter, in February 2022, two individuals, Pradip Singh and Chandan Kalita from Margherita, met with Kolkata-based businessman Ishan Jain to propose the establishment of a coke plant in Margherita. They claimed that they were associates of Margherita MLA Bhaskar Sarma and were in possession of a license to set up a coke plant. They persuaded Jain to set up the said plant with assurance of all assistance. In return, they demanded a levy of Rs 20,000 per truck of coal transported, as decided by MLA Sharma.

Accordingly, a company named Brightshine Coke and Coal Private Limited was incorporated on August 29, 2022, with Jain and Singh as directors. While the letter claims that Jain made a 100 per cent investment for the said company, records show that Jain owned 2,50,000 shares and Singh had 1,000 shares of the company. 

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The setting up of the plant was completed in December 2022. Immediately after this, Singh and Kalita seized control of the plant. Aided by “local hooligans”, the duo prevented Jain from entering the plant, reads the letter. On January 24 this year, Jain was detained at Margherita Police station and was set free only the next day. The police, according to the letter, asked him to “run away” from Margherita. When contacted by India Today NE, Margherita Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Hemanta Kumar Boro declined to reveal why Jain had been detained though he did not deny the detention.

 
Following the harassment by Singh and Kalita, and reported inaction and threat by police, Jain left the company and, on June 15, 2023, Mahesh Bhimsaria, a relative of Jain, joined the company as a director. Incidentally, it is Bhimsaria who wrote the letter to the chief minister.

On August 5, Bhimsaria met Tinsukia SP Gaurav Abhijit Dilip seeking help from the police. The SP confirmed to India Today NE that an enquiry had been initiated into the issue but did not divulge further details. 

Singh and MLA Sarma did not respond to the calls and texts sent by India Today NE. Kalita said that he was not accountable to a journalist for what he does. Chief Minister Sarma also did not respond to calls and texts seeking information on what action has been taken on the letter sent to him by Bhimsaria.