Wheat Seed Scam: FIR against salesman, officials for embezzling govt subsidy
The case was registered following the directions by Punjab and Haryana high court (HC) in order dated May 9, 2024
The Haryana Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has registered an FIR against Rajesh Kumar, a salesman at the Barwala Seed Distribution Centre, along with other unidentified officials and employees of the Haryana Seeds Development Corporation (HSDC), for their alleged involvement in a large-scale subsidy fraud related to wheat seed distribution.
The case was registered following the directions by Punjab and Haryana high court (HC) in order dated May 9, 2024. The HC, while hearing a writ petition filed in 2022 by a farmer Jasbir Ram, had sought directions for inquiry into the scam as established from preliminary inquiry dated September 17, 2021. The court ordered for comprehensive inquiry by state vigilance bureau.
The case dates back to 2021, when Jasbir registered a complaint with HSDC on February 9, 2021, regarding the fraud. The complainant alleged that the officials and employees of HSDC prepared false records by showing an excess quantity of wheat seeds purchased by farmers than what was actually bought. This manipulation led to embezzlement in the subsidy provided for wheat seeds, causing financial loss to the government.
The investigation was conducted by the ACB, Haryana. During the investigation, it was found that under the RKVY (Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana) scheme for the rabi crop of 2020-21, wheat seeds were distributed through sales centres in Pinjore, Ganeshpur Bhoria, and Barwala in district. A total of 1,837 farmers--526 from Pinjore, 323 from Ganeshpur Bhoria, and 988 from Barwala--received wheat seeds through these centres. Random 10% from these farmers were called for investigation. Out of them, 222 farmers were found to have purchased the correct quantity of wheat seeds. However, discrepancies were found in the statements of 28 farmers.
Eighteen farmers from Barwala Seed Distribution Centre stated that they had purchased wheat seeds in 2020-21 but in lesser quantities than recorded. The records falsely indicated that they had purchased a higher quantity of seeds. Additionally, 10 farmers claimed that they had not purchased wheat seeds at all, yet their names, addresses, Aadhaar numbers and mobile numbers were correctly listed in the distribution records. It is yet to be determined how these details reached the sales personnel.
No irregularities were found at the Pinjore and Ganeshpur Bhoria seed distribution centres. However, it was found that at the Barwala Seed Distribution Center, sales representative Rajesh Kumar falsely recorded excessive purchases under the names of 18 farmers and completely fabricated purchases for 10 others. Further, the sales register, cash memos, and stock register of the Barwala Seed Distribution Center for the year 2020-21 were found missing from the records of Haryana Seeds Development Corporation Limited, Yamunanagar. These records were under the responsibility of sales representative Rajesh Kumar.
The investigation established that Rajesh Kumar, along with other unidentified officials/employees, committed irregularities in seed distribution. The final investigation report, along with comments from the additional director general of police, ACB, Haryana, , was sent to the chief secretary, Haryana government, vigilance department dated November 29, 2024.
Subsequently, as per the chief secretary’s directive dated March 4, 2025, and the additional director general of police, ACB, Haryana, , registered a case against Rajesh Kumar and other unidentified officials/employees under Sections 409, 419, 420, 467, 471 of the Indian Penal Code and sections 13(1)(A) read with 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988..
