Kunjpura (Haryana) wheat scam widens: Missing stock rises to 14K bags

By Parveen Arora

A joint inspection by officials of the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department and the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), Karnal, has uncovered the alleged disappearance of nearly 9,500 more wheat bags from the Kunjpura godown, taking the total shortage detected over the past year to around 14,000 bags.

The latest findings come a year after about 4,700 wheat bags were found missing during an inspection in June 2025. An FIR was subsequently registered at the Kunjpura police station against the then inspector incharge of the godown. Officials are now awaiting registration of a second FIR based on the fresh shortage detected during the latest verification.

Authorities said the financial loss caused by the missing stocks would be recovered from those found guilty.

According to a Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department official, three serving officials — Sub-Inspector Sandeep, Assistant Food and Supplies Officer (AFSO) Mukesh Gupta and Section Officer (SO) Vikas Khokhar — have recently been chargesheeted in the case. Earlier, former inspector Ashok Sharma, who has since retired, was also chargesheeted after being arrested in connection with the first FIR.

“After finding a shortage of wheat stock in Kunjpura godown, we have submitted our report to the higher authorities recommending registration of an FIR,” an Anti-Corruption Bureau official said.

District Food and Supplies Controller (DFSC) Mukesh Kumar confirmed that the joint inspection had recently been carried out with the ACB team and the findings submitted to senior authorities.

“Four officials have been chargesheeted. Recovery of the loss will be made from all those found responsible for the disappearance of wheat from the Kunjpura godown,” he said.

The alleged scam first surfaced in June 2025 after complainant Vikas accused officials of storing thousands of poorly stitched and underweight wheat bags and alleged that large quantities of wheat had been siphoned off by tampering with the sacks.

Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Rajesh Nagar inspected the Kunjpura godown on June 28, 2025. During the visit, he found poor storage conditions, tampered wheat bags and signs of large-scale misappropriation of foodgrain stocks. He immediately ordered the suspension of the then godown incharge and directed the then DFSC to conduct a sack-by-sack inspection with videography.

A high-level committee constituted thereafter verified the stock and detected a shortage of about 4,700 wheat bags from the 2025-26 stock.

This article has been republished from The Tribune.