Police in Biswanath Chariali have arrested five persons for allegedly running an organised racket that collected illegal payments, widely known as “gunda tax”, from trucks entering the town. The arrests were made after a video posted by a truck driver went viral on Facebook, prompting immediate action from the authorities.
According to police, the group had been collecting money from almost every truck entering Biswanath Chariali for a long time. The arrested individuals have been identified as Jatin Chetia, Bhaskar Saikia, Kuldeep Singh, Rajen Baruah, and Yadav Hazarika. All five were picked up during a police operation carried out on Wednesday.
Officials said the group had been using fake receipt books printed in the names of three organisations that do not actually exist. These names included “Biswanath Chariali Truck Drivers’ Association”, “Biswanath Chariali Truck Owners’ Association”, and “Biswanath Chariali Truck Workers’ Association”. By using these names, the group allegedly tried to make the collections look official so that truck drivers would not suspect any wrongdoing. 
Police also found that one of the accused, Bhaskar Saikia, had been collecting ₹200 from truck drivers in the name of the Biswanath Chariali Municipal Board, even though the official amount fixed by the Board is only ₹100. This difference in amount raised further suspicion about the activities of the group.
The entire matter came to light when a truck driver shared a video on Facebook showing how the illegal collection was taking place. The video quickly spread across social media, and many people demanded action from the authorities. Soon after, police launched an investigation and arrested the five accused. Officers said that more people may be involved in the racket, and efforts are underway to identify them.
A case has been registered at the Biswanath Chariali Police Station under Case No. BNS 213/25, with charges filed under Sections 308(2)/3(5). Police said the investigation is still in progress, and more arrests may follow once they gather additional evidence.
Speaking about the case, Deborshi Choudhury, Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP), Biswanath, said that the police will not allow anyone to collect money illegally in the name of organisations or government bodies. He added that strict action will be taken against all those involved in this extortion racket.
