SSP seeks info on officials supervising wheat godown

Nikhil Bhardwaj

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, August 12

Officials of Pungrain are likely to face action in the alleged issue involving pilferage of wheat meant for the poor from the godown. Pungrain had hired the godwon close to Dakha.

Their role has come under scanner as the entire godown was being managed by Pungrain and its officials were looking after it.

Sources said the Ludhiana rural police have been connecting dots to collect sufficient evidence about the involvement of officials in the theft case.

Notably on August 8 night, 11 persons were arrested by the Jagroan police following a raid conducted by the District Administration in cooperation with the Ludhiana rural police at a godown in Rakba village close to Dakha, where pilfering of wheat was being done.

The raid was conducted by the Deputy Commissioner Pradeep Agarwal himself in the presence of SP Crime, Ludhiana rural, Pirthipal Singh, DFSC Rakesh Bhaskar, SDM Jagraon and other officials. The godown had around 1.20 lakh sacks of wheat weighing 30 kg each. Labourers were stealing 5 kg wheat from each sack and then putting water into the sacks to keep the official weight intact. The godown exists on the premises of Radha Rani Shellers.

When asked, Senior Superintendent of Police, Ludhiana rural, Surjit Singh, said: “Yes we are probing the role of Pungrain officials because the godown was in the direct supervision of some of its officials. We have written to the senior officials of Pungrain to know about the officials, who have been entrusted the responsibility of the godown. We have also asked Pungrain to provide the names of the officials under whose jurisdiction the last Property Verification (PV) was done by the department and who are the present officials looking after the godown affairs.”

The SSP said: “Let the reply from Pungrain come. If any involvement of the department officials will be found, they will have to face the heat for stealing wheat meant for poor people.