Explainer: Probe picks up pace in multi-crore paddy scam in Fatehabad

Nearly three years after a multi-crore paddy procurement scam rocked Haryana’s Fatehabad district, the investigation has finally picked up pace. On Saturday, August 9, the police recovered Rs 7 lakh in cash during the interrogation of two key accused at present in remand. This comes after the arrest of three men — Balihar Singh (Ratia), Kewal Singh (Nanheri) and Bhupinder Singh (Burj) — by the Economic Offences Wing, for their role in the Rs 6 crore fraud under the 2020 “Meri Fasal Mera Byora” scheme. The accused allegedly registered fake paddy crops using forged documents and benefited from government procurement schemes. The scam, which caused significant losses to the state exchequer, also implicates several government officials now under investigation.

What was the nature of the scam and how was it carried out?

According to the police, the accused registered fake paddy crops using the names, Aadhaar numbers and bank accounts of individuals who did not own agricultural land. They listed these false entries in the "Meri Fasal Mera Byora" portal and sold paddy to government agencies at minimum support price (MSP). On ground verification, the land was found either uncultivated or used for other crops like ‘kinnow’. Investigations also revealed that the accused purchased low-cost paddy from neighbouring states and passed it off as local produce to exploit the MSP system.

How was the scam exposed and what are the legal actions taken so far?

The fraud came to light when real landowners, including individuals from Sirsa, Fatehabad and Jind, discovered that their land had been used without consent for paddy registration. They approached the Chief Minister’s flying squad, which triggered the investigation. An FIR was registered in 2022 by Squad Officer Rajesh Kumar, naming 26 individuals, including rice mill owners and private agents. The case has been filed under various sections of the IPC related to cheating, forgery, criminal breach of trust and criminal conspiracy. The authorities say more arrests and recoveries are likely as the probe deepens.

Who are the accused and what progress has been made in the investigation?

The three arrested individuals are Balihar Singh, Kewal Singh, and Bhupinder Singh. While Bhupinder has been sent to judicial custody, Balihar and Kewal are under police remand. During interrogation, both revealed details about the planning and execution of the scam. Based on their statements, the police recovered Rs 2 lakh from Balihar and Rs 5 lakh from Kewal. Further, mobile phone data, bank records and documents are being analysed to trace the full money trail.

Who else is under investigation in connection with the fraud?

The police believe the scam could not have occurred without the help of insiders. Several officials from the Food and Supplies Department, Market Committees at Ratia and Dharsul Kalan and the Haryana State Warehousing Corporation are under investigation. Their suspected role includes facilitating the approval and procurement process based on false land and crop records submitted by the accused.