Vigilance busts ₹1.5 crore rice distribution scam in Punjab
The Punjab vigilance bureau (VB) has unearthed a scam amounting to Rs 1.55 crore after it conducted a raid at a warehouse in Hoshiarpur and arrested three people besides seizing two trucks laden with 1,138 bags of rice.
Owner of Garshankar-based Shiv Shakti Rice Mill Gopal Goyal was arrested along with two truck drivers, Jagpal Singh and Sukhwinder Singh.
As per VB, under the Bharat Brand Scheme being run by the central govt, about 70,000 metric tonnes of rice were being distributed by the National Cooperative Consumer Federation of India in Bathinda, Bhucho, Maur, Rampura Phul and Budhlada to the poor families costing about Rs 130 crore.
Out of this, about 1,000 metric tonnes of rice have to be distributed at a cost of Rs 18.50 per kg after filling it in bags weighing 5 kg and 10 kg. The tender for supplying this rice to the beneficiaries at a rate of Rs 29 per kg in Bathinda district was awarded to Jai Janedar firm.
The bureau received information from a reliable source that an attempt was being made to embezzle the rice for beneficiaries worth Rs 3.40 crore.
The owners of Jai Janedar Firm procured rice from Global Warehouse (Soma Warehouse), Maur Mandi, in connivance with the officers, employees, custodian of this warehouse through a broker named Harish Kumar and unknown officials of the FCI, the vigilance bureau said.
After paying the bribe, the rice bags were shifted to Anjani Rice Mill, Kuttiwal Kalan in Maur Mandi, and after this, the rice bags were to be taken to Shiv Shakti Rice Mill, Garhshankar through these trucks.
A case has been registered under Prevention of Corruption Act at the VB police station, Bathinda range, against Jai Janeder Firm contractor Harish Dalal, Goyal, the owner of Anjani Rice Mill Kuttiwal Kalan, Maur mandi in Bathinda, and truck drivers Jagpal and Sukhwinder. The VB spokesperson said role of officials, employees, custodians of warehouse besides officials and FCI staff would be probed.
This article has been republished from The Times of India.