Bathinda: FIR filed after year-long delay in seed farm records theft

After delay of more than a year, the Bathinda police have finally registered an FIR in connection with the theft of official records belonging to Government Seed Farm at Shekhpura village here, raising questions about prolonged administrative inaction.

The theft relates to office records of the seed farm, which functions under the Chief Agriculture Officer (CAO), Bathinda. The issue was recently flagged by Jaswant Singh, the then director, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Department, Punjab, in a letter dated January 16.

Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian had earlier ordered an inquiry into the matter and sought action against the officials or employees responsible. A departmental inquiry committee subsequently recommended the registration of an FIR to enable a police probe and recovery of the missing files.

Following these directions, the office of the Director, Agriculture, asked the CAO, Bathinda, to ensure the registration of a case.