AFSO, inspector suspended over bribery allegations

The Director of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department, Haryana, has suspended Assistant Food and Supplies Officer (AFSO) Rajender Singh and Inspector Neeraj following their arrest by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Karnal unit. The officials were accused of extorting money from depot holders, leading to a departmental inquiry.

“Both the AFSO and inspector have been placed under suspension with immediate effect due to pending departmental and criminal proceedings against them,” an official said.

The arrests came after retired Class IV employee Ram Chander, an alleged accomplice, was caught red-handed by the ACB on January 2 with Rs 15,000 in powdered cash. A further Rs 67,000 was recovered from his possession. Based on his statements and depot holders’ complaints, the ACB arrested Rajender Singh and Neeraj, exposing a nexus of corruption.

According to the ACB, the accused demanded a 3-5% bribe on commissions provided to depot holders for distributing government ration. Depot holders alleged that this practice was widespread across the district and called for a detailed inquiry.

“We are investigating all angles of the case. The accused have been sent to judicial custody. We are collecting details of their properties and analysing their call records,” an ACB official said.

Depot holders provided call recordings implicating the accused, which are now being reviewed. Acting on their complaints, the ACB team exposed the alleged extortion racket.