The Punjab State Civil Supplies Corporation Limited (PUNSUP) has been enveloped in yet another scam, as paddy worth Rs. 1.76 crore has been found to be missing from the premises of a private rice miller.
The paddy belongs to the year 2011-12, for which the procurement agency has to
ensure supply of the rice, but it has apparently failed to do so.
The mill owner has been identified as Deepak Suri of M/s Sri Gram Udyog Samiti, Dakala. An FIR has been registered on the complaint of the district manager of PUNSUP on Tuesday.
The FIR states that the procurement agency had supplied 89,876 bags of paddy weighing 3,14,566 quintals to a private rice miller for shelling. The accused has to provide rice weighing 21,075 quintal to PUNSUP, but provided only 12,933 quintal.
The accused is also alleged to have embezzled 25,300 bags of paddy, from which he had to provide nearly 8,132 quintal of rice. The cost of the missing is SR 1.76 crore and the accused rice miller is yet to provide any details about the missing stock.
It is alleged that the accused sold the stock in the open market and defrauded PUNSUP.
The police have registered a complaint under Section 420 (cheating and dishonesty) and 120 B (punishment for criminal conspiracy) against the accused, who is still at large.