2000-crore foodgrain transportation scam: Accused arhtiya, contractor surrender

The accused surrendered before the court of chief judicial magistrate Radhika Puri and were remanded the accused to two days in Vigilance custody for questioning

{ ₹2000 crore food grain transportation scam}

Dhotiwala was already declared a proclaimed offender by the court. His bail applications were rejected twice and he had been ordered to surrender in two weeks. (iStock)

Two accused – including arhtiya (commission agent) Surinder Dhotiwala and contractor Sandeep Bhatia,wanted by the Vigilance Bureau in the ₹2,000 crore food grain transport scam, involving former cabinet minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu, surrendered before the court on Tuesday.

The accused surrendered before the court of chief judicial magistrate Radhika Puri and were remanded the accused to two days in Vigilance custody for questioning.

According to the Vigilance officials, the accused Surinder Dhotiwala, an arhtiya, who also owns a rice mill was nominated in the case on September 15, 2022. The accused had stored paddy owned by arhtiyas who were his relatives, in his rice mill Om Agro Industries, which is violation of clause 12 (J) of custom milling policy of the state for the year 2021-2022 in criminal connivance of Surinder Kumar Berry, the then district manager of PUNGRAIN. The accused had also allegedly smuggled paddy from other states.

Dhotiwala was already declared a proclaimed offender by the court. His bail applications were rejected twice and he had been ordered to surrender in two weeks.

Contractor Sandeep Bhatia, a resident of Adoana, Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar (Nawanshehr), meanwhile, was allegedly awarded a tender by violating the Foodgrain Labour and Cartage Policy 2020-21 of state by the district tender committee. A procedure to declare him a proclaimed offender had been initiated and an arrest warrant issued for September 29.

Vigilance officials said a chargesheet listing 16 accused, including former Punjab minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu, district food and civil supplies controllers (DFSCs) Harveen Kaur, Sukhwinder Gill, had been submitted by the bureau.

Retired DFSC Surinder Beri and district manager PUNSUP Jagandeep Dhillon were granted anticipatory bail by the Punjab and Haryana high court. One of the prime accused, RK Singla, former deputy director food supply has also been declared a proclaimed offender.