Ludhiana: Depot holder booked for missing court hearings in wheat scam case

The accused had allegedly embezzled wheat meant to be distributed among ration card holders under an above poverty line scheme

A depot holder, who has been among 28 persons accused of embezzling wheat meant to be distributed among above poverty line (APL) card holders, has been booked by the division number 5 police for missing court hearings. The FIR has been registered on the orders of additional sessions judge Amarinder Singh Shergill.

The accused has been identified as Amandeep Singh of Gill village in Ludhiana (Getty image)

The accused has been identified as Amandeep Singh of Gill village in Ludhiana. Another woman depot holder, Vandana, was also declared a proclaimed offender for skipping court hearings.

The Vigilance Bureau had registered an FIR against 28 people, including Jaspal Singh, inspector of Punjab Agro, and depot holder on September 1, 2012, under Sections 406, 409, 420, 467, 468, 471, 120B, of the IPC and Sections 13 (1) D and 13 (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The accused had allegedly embezzled wheat meant to be distributed among ration card holders under an above poverty line scheme. Instead of distributing the wheat among the beneficiaries, the accused allegedly sold it to flour mill owners. The Vigilance Bureau had recovered four trucks laden with wheat.

The Vigilance Bureau had filed a charge-sheet on March 3, 2014 and charges were framed against the accused on September 20, 2022. Accused Amandeep Singh had been skipping court hearings.

ASI Subhash Chand, who is investigating the case, said accused Amandeep Singh has been booked under Section 209 of the BNS following the court orders.