The Meghalaya government has ordered an investigation into the alleged misappropriation of over 4,000 metric tonnes (MT) of coal in the state, the development coming days after a state minister said rain may have washed the coal away.

Meghalaya deputy chief minister Prestone Tynsong, who also holds the home portfolio, said on Saturday that district authorities and police have been told to conduct a thorough probe.

"We have asked deputy commissioners and superintendents of police to investigate if there has been any misappropriation or illegal diversion of coal," the deputy chief minister told PTI.

The directive comes close on the heels of a revelation by a high court-appointed committee that over 4,000 metric tonnes of coal, already declared as extracted and inventoried, have vanished from two designated storage sites.

The committee, in its latest report to the Meghalaya High Court, said the disappearance raises serious questions about the state's mechanism for monitoring coal stock and preventing illegal transportation.

After the court pulled up the state government, state minister Kyrmen Shylla – who is from Jaintia hills that has the most coal reserves in the state – was quoted as saying: "I am not trying to justify but we need to remind ourselves that If you remember, Meghalaya has one of the highest rainfall in the country. So due to this high and heavy rainfall anything can happen.

“Remember, there is an allegation that because of the rains in Meghalaya, floods happened in Assam, and from East Jaintia hills, rain water goes to Bangladesh. You never know, it could be because of the rains the coal got carried away," the minister had told reporters in Shillong on Monday.

"I cannot blame the rain alone, I don't have any details with me to say that there was illegal transportation. However, since we have the authority, we need to ensure that there is no illegal transportation or illegal mining, it should be as per law," the minister had said.

Tynsong said the government will take action if any wrongdoing is established.

"If there is anything wrong, we will proceed according to the law. Even if it requires us to approach the Supreme Court, we will do so," he added.

The state's probe will focus on tracing both diesel and coal inventories, including movement, documentation, and field verification. A comprehensive report will be prepared and shared with the court in due course, an official said.