Four Haryana food officials booked over misappropriation of 153 tonnes wheat

The alleged diversion involved 71,735 kg of wheat in July, 57,969 kg in August and 23,400 kg in November 2023, officials said

Four officials of the Haryana food and civil supplies department were booked for allegedly misappropriating 153,000 kilograms of wheat by showing it as supplied through the public distribution system while allegedly selling the stock in the open market, police said.

The officials, who were posted in Gurugram in 2023, include a district food and supply controller (DFSC), assistant food and supplies officer (AFSO), inspector and sub-inspector.

Chief minister’s flying squad officials said they raided the Gurugram DFSC office on February 17 following complaints from two ration depot holders about stock mismatches. Scrutiny of seized records showed 71,735 kg wheat was shown transferred through point of sales (POS) machines in July, 57,969 kg in August and 23,400 kg in November 2023, officials said.

Majority of misappropriated stock was shown allocated to depot holders using machines which were actually lying idle, they said. A senior CMFS official said the stock was sold in the open market and proceeds collected through depot holders. Officials also allegedly entered incorrect POS data to show excess stocks than actually allocated to the depot holders, he said.

An FIR was registered at Shivaji Nagar police station on Monday under sections 409 (criminal breach of trust by a public servant), 420 (cheating), 120-B (criminal conspiracy) and 384 (extortion) of the Indian Penal Code, officials said.

Officials said further investigation would examine depot holders and private stockists. Police will examine stock-transfer records from January 1, 2022, to March 31, 2026.