Inspector booked for bungling 1,800-qtl wheat

Tribune News Service

PK Jaiswar

Amritsar, September 17

The Amritsar rural police have booked a suspended inspector of the District Food and Civil Supply Department for allegedly bungling around 1,800 quintals of wheat meant for economically weaker sections of society under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana and the National Food Security Act.

He was booked following a probe conducted by Assistant Food and Civil Supply Officer (AFSO) Mohanjit Singh.

Probe by Asst Food & Civil Supply Officer

• Inspector of the District Food and Civil Supply Department has been booked following a probe conducted by Assistant Food and Civil Supply Officer (AFSO) Mohanjit Singh.
• Nevertheless, another investigation was conducted by a four-member team of the Chief Vigilance Committee (CVC) of the department in the alleged misappropriation.
• The team has reportedly submitted its report to higher authorities for further necessary action. The misappropriated wheat was to be distributed from January 2022 to March 2022

Nevertheless, another investigation was conducted by a four-member team of the Chief Vigilance Committee (CVC) of the department in the alleged misappropriation. The team has reportedly submitted its report to higher authorities for further necessary action. The misappropriated wheat was to be distributed from January 2022 to March 2022.

Now, the police have booked Heera Chohan, supervisor of the Gumtala distribution centre of the department. A case under Sections 409 (Criminal breach of trust by public servant and 420 (Cheating) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered against the accused.

In her complaint to the police, Sanyogita, District Food and Civil Supply Controller (DFSC), said through some sources she came to know that the wheat meant for poor families for distribution between January and March was being bungled. She said she asked Mohanjit Singh, AFSO, Verka, under whose jurisdiction the Gumtala distribution centre falls, to investigate the matter.

He submitted his report on August 16 in which he reportedly found the accused guilty of pilferage of wheat.

Besides directing the AFSO, the DFSC had also written to higher authorities for holding a probe into alleged bungling. Following this, the department formed a four-member CVC, which visited Amritsar earlier this month. The team visited the godowns and also recorded the statements of the ration depot holders.

An official wishing not be named said during the probe it was found that around 1,800 quintals of wheat was lifted from godowns for distribution and slips were issued after taking depot holders into confidence. However, it never reached the beneficiaries.

Swapan Sharma, SSP, Amritsar rural police, said an investigation would be carried out by the police after the registration of a case in this connection. Efforts were on to nab Heera Chohan who went underground when the bungling came to light.

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