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Probe exposes illegal wheat influx from UP into Karnal mandis; 6 arhtiyas booked
A probe report submitted by additional deputy commissioner (ADC) Rahul Raiya to Karnal deputy commissioner (DC) Dr Anand Kumar Sharma has exposed how wheat from Uttar Pradesh farmers was fraudulently sold in the names of Haryana farmers in at least three different grain markets of Karnal
A year after a multi-crore paddy procurement scam was reported in Karnal, an ongoing probe into the wheat procurement has uncovered another fraud, despite the government introducing stricter norms for the rabi season.
A probe report submitted by additional deputy commissioner (ADC) Rahul Raiya to Karnal deputy commissioner (DC) Dr Anand Kumar Sharma has exposed how wheat from Uttar Pradesh farmers was fraudulently sold in the names of Haryana farmers in at least three different grain markets of Karnal.
Following the probe report, two FIRs have been registered. Another FIR was registered against a commission agent from the Kunjpura grain market in a case in which bricks were placed in sacks of wheat to increase weight.
“The district administration is taking strict action against those who commit fraud and irregularities in the wheat procurement process,” said DC Sharma. He said that cases of wheat coming from Uttar Pradesh to Karnal and Indri grain markets had come to light. After confirmation, an FIR was filed against one commission agent in the Karnal new grain market and another against five agents in the Indri grain market and Byana sub-yard.
The FIR at Indri police station names arhtiyas Sandeep Kumar, Jai Bhagwan, Arun Kumar, Rai Singh, and Ankit Kumar, and another lodged at Karnal city police station named Harmeet Kaur. The third case was registered at Kunjpura police station against Deepak Kumar.
HT had reported earlier on May 6 about the probe that was initiated into this alleged scam regarding how the role of market committees is under the scanner in Karnal amid a suspected wheat influx from Uttar Pradesh. Following the report, an enquiry was undertaken by the ADC and it was found that several commission agents allegedly facilitated the inflow of wheat from UP at three purchase centres. Later, the licences of 13 such agents were cancelled temporarily.
The inquiry also revealed that arhtiyas allegedly manipulated the gap between the maximum permissible yield for procurement and the actual yield of registered farmers on the Meri Fasal Mera Byora (MFMB) portal. According to government rules, farmers are mandated to register themselves on the MFMB portal to obtain gate passes and sell their produce at the mandis.
Sources said that despite the new rules, commission agents in collusion with others, facilitated the wheat arrival, to avail the benefit of MSP. The role of market committees is also being probed, they added.
Last year’s multi-crore paddy procurement scam was unearthed in Karnal, Yamunanagar, and Kurukshetra, after which the Haryana government issued new procurement rules. At least 10 cases were registered, and over 30 officials or millers were arrested in all cases.
The scam involved issuing fake gate passes by mandi board employees, showing entry of excess paddy and enabling proxy procurement. The Karnal police have recently filed a chargesheet against 12 accused, including government officials, now under suspension.
