E-Paper
Another procurement scam of ₹5.06 crore detected in Karnal, 12 mandi officials booked
Another scam of bogus paddy procurement of 25,852 quintal worth around ₹5
Another scam of bogus paddy procurement of 25,852 quintal worth around ₹5.06 crore was detected in Karnal’s Jundla grain market, putting a question mark on the Haryana government’s claims of making the procurement process transparent.
Police have registered a first investigation report (FIR) against 12 people, including eight employees of the Haryana State Agriculture Marketing Board, for the alleged irregularities in paddy procurement.
The inquiry has also hinted at collusion on part of the food supply officials and Hafed officials, who were deputed at Jundla for making procurement of PR paddy after physical verification.
Action was initiated following inquiry and physical verification by a team under Hisar zonal marketing enforcement officer (ZMEO) Nihal Singh.
As per this report, 68,935 bags (each containing 37.5kg) of 25,852 quintal procured parmal varieties of paddy was not found on the spot exposing that fictitious gate passes were issued in this regard by the staff of the grain market concerned.
The FIR was registered against Jundla secretary market committee Ajay Kumar, auction recorders Anil and Dilshad Ahmad, mandi supervisor Kuldeep Singh, auction recorders (market committee Naresh Chander and Vikas Maan, and computer operators Rohit, Asmit Singh, Bhawar Singh, Mohit, Ajay Kumar and Amit Kumar under Sections 409, 420, 467 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and an investigation has been initiated.
The report has accused auction recorders Anil Kumar and Dilshad Ahmad of deliberately issuing fictitious incoming gate passes of paddy without actual arrival in the mandi. It has mentioned details of the computer operators of the mandi including Rohit, Asmit Singh, Bhawar Singh, Mohit, Ajay and Amit Kumar, who were on duty when the fictitious gate passes were generated.
The report revealed that the mandi secretary, who is overall in-charge of the mandi, has failed to perform his duty efficiently by not controlling the issuance of fictitious incoming gate passes without the actual arrival of PR paddy.
The report revealed that it is the duty of the purchase agency officials to verify each and every stock record before procurement. But the availability of less stock than shown in the records, indicated that they too had indulged in bogus purchase without actual arrival of the produce in the mandi, thereby leaving all opportunity to the millers to cover up the stock by purchasing paddy or rice from the adjoining states at lesser rates.
Haryana State Agriculture Marketing Board chief administrator Vinay Yadav said, “The FIR has been registered and other departmental action is to follow against the officials involved in this fictitious procurement.”
He said efforts are being made for corruption-free procurement in state and strict action will be taken against people involved in the fictitious procurement.
This is the second such scam reported in Karnal within a fortnight as 32 people, including a mandi supervisor, auction recorder, two computer operators and 28 commission agents were booked for alleged bogus procurement of 12,573 quintal paddy of ₹4.81 crore at Gheer grain market in Karnal district on October 14.
