Shillong, Feb 21: The opposition Congress on Monday reiterated its demand for an independent probe into the alleged illegal coal trade in the state.

“It is in the mind of the Congress to see that a central inquiry team is instituted (into the coal racket),” Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) working president Pynshngain N Syiem told reporters after welcoming the joining of an advocate, Erwin Sutnga, to the party.

He said it is sad that the state is losing huge revenue due to the illegal coal trade. Syiem also slammed the state government for its continued denial mode on the matter.

“To give a statement that there is no evidence is very wrong and incorrect. When two persons have died in the mining area (in West Khasi Hills District), I think that is already hard evidence,” he said.

Echoing similar views, Sutnga, who expressed that he had joined the Congress with a spirit of service, demanded that the MDA government come clean on the alleged illegal coal trade.

“I challenge the MDA government, if you are really serious and you have no hand in this and you want to end this allegation that you had given a verbal order, ask the CBI to come in,” he said.

He was referring to reports on the arrest of a coal trader and four others in Assam for tax evasion and the allegation that the state mining department is allowing illegal coal trade based on “verbal orders”.