NEW DELHI: The CBI has taken over the investigation into the Barak Valley coal scam case related to alleged tax evasion in transportation of coal from Meghalaya through the Barak Valley by bribing officials, agency officials said on Wednesday.

The case was recommended for a CBI probe by Assam CM Sarbananda Sonowal in 2018 and was referred to the agency by Centre on February 20 this year, they said.

After receiving the reference, the CBI re-registered the FIR of Karimganj police station against Abdul Ahad Chaudhury who had allegedly cheated a buyer of Rs 6 lakh on the assurance of giving him coal by providing forged challans, they said. In the FIR, it is alleged that Chaudhary had taken the money from the complainant for arranging seven challans for transporting coal from Meghalaya in as many trucks. When returning to Meghalaya after transporting coal, the challans were checked at the entry gate where officials declared the documents to be forged, the FIR alleged.

