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‘Expose tip of ice burg; top FCI official allegedly involved’
SRINAGAR: A massive rice scam of nearly 2.5 crore which was surfaced in PEG Baramulla (Private Entrepreneurs Guarantee Scheme) of Food Corporation of India, the Assistant general Manager (PV) FCI has directed Area Manager, FCI, District office Srinagar to immediately recover the losses suffered as the committee report reveal huge losses.
Pertinently, a rice scam was exposed by the Valley’s primer News Agency, Press Trust of Kashmir (PTK), in which it was revealed that at least 20 trucks loaded with rice left from Punjab never reached PEG Baramulla, as the same were illegally sold in Punjab’s private markets.
According to the documents in possession of the PTK, these trucks were bearing registration numbers PB32P-2971, PB32P-8871, PB32P-5171, PB32P-3971 and PB32P-4271, 7971-PB32A, 5171-PB 32P, 3871-PB32P, 4571-PB 32P, 6771-PB 32L, 3179-PB 32 P, 4171-PB32 P, 2071-PB32 P, 8771-PB09 Q; Challan numbers 279-49, 279-50, 279-18, 279-25, 279-28, 279-29, 284-51, 279-48, 284-52; date of loading 28, 28, 27, 27, 27, 27,28, 28, 28 of November 2015 respectively.
Soon after the scam was reported, the FCI constitutes committee to investigate the matter. However, the committee recently submitted the report as per the order of recover issue by the Assistant general Manager (PV) FCI, dated 03, 01, 2017 under order number, S&C/37(1)/ROJ/SPV (PEG) Baramulla/2015-2016.
The order reads:, “The committee comprising of Sh. Joginder Pal, AGM (A/Cs), Sh. Sourabh Mahajan, Manager (A/Cs),ROJ, Syed Ahmad Bhat Manager Gen, Sh. Kriti Kumar Manager (D), Firdous Ah Wani AG III (QC) and Shri. Hilal Ah Dar AG III (D), DOS, have submitted committee report on zero PV by way of 100 % liquidation of Rice/ Wheat stocks in respect of PEG Baramulla, Srinagar, wherein overall losses to the corporation to the tune of rupees 2,51,57,070 have been worked on the basis of the above said committee report by this office.”
On the bases of the committee report, the Assistant general Manager (PV) FCI, directs the Area Manager, FCI, District office Srinagar to immediately recover the losses suffered. It further reads: “In this regard, you are hereby directed to ensure immediate recovery of to the effect of the above losses suffered by the Corporation from the Peg owner in the line with the direction here under: 1: A notice shall be given to the PEG owner to deposit the losses of RS 25157070 suffered by the corporation in lump sum within seven days time from the date of the issue of the notice from A.O Srinagar (thru Register Post/e mail)under lessee and agreement clause number 29 “Liability of lessor losses shall be recovered from his monthly rental bills without any kind of delay. 2: Further, the working of PEG Baramulla, godown shall be kept under strict observation by your office in future. A committee comprising three officers nominated by this office led by AGM(vig) R.O Jammu will conduct or 100% weighment of any stack, if required at PEG Baramulla, godown for the next six months.
The order further mentions that, if there is a reporting/ repetition of any kind of such misappropriation/ pilferage/ manipulation with FCI stock or any kind of violation of PEG agreement, in the future, the process of de hiring of PEG Baramulla shall be initiated as per provisions of PEG MTF.
Worth to mention that, after thorough investigation by the PTK by approaching different official concerned about the issue, the scam seems a tip of an ice- burg and many skeletons are likely to fall from cupboard, as the officials shifted blame on each other. “Some top officers of FCI of the rank of managers are involved in this, which has been proved by officials’ documents and their delayed tactics to hide the facts,” sources in the department said.
The documents and photocopies of Challans in possession of PTK also reveal a different story as narrated by some officials. “As per the photocopy of Challans received from district office Jalandhar the date of unloading may be read as 15/17-jan-2016.”
The Committee has checked the receipt register and master ledger of PEG Baramulla of those particular dates. It has been observed that on 15- Jan 2016 only 7 trucks had been unloaded at PEG Baramulla out of which 2 trucks had been received from district office Jammu and 5 trucks had been received from district office Gurdaspur, Punjab on 17 -Jan 2016 (being Sunday). But not even a single truck has been unloaded at PEG Baramulla, read the documents.
The Challans, which sources say are forged, however, bear the sign of the authorities concerned showing trucks have been unloaded” at the supposed location at PEG Baramulla. But the committee report has found that not even a single truck has been unloaded.
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