FIR against two millers for Rs 6.31 crore paddy shortage

In a major crackdown in large-scale paddy procurement irregularities, the Karnal police have registered a case against two rice millers from Assandh after Hafed officials and CM flying squad found a shortage of paddy of around 24,431 quintals worth Rs 6.31 crore during the physical verification conducted on November 4 and 5.

This is the fourth FIR registered in Karnal district allegedly in connection with irregularities in paddy procurement and ‘ghost’ procurement.

Three FIRs had already been registered in City, Sadar and Taraori police stations related to paddy procurement involving two market committee secretaries (from Karnal and Taraori), one rice miller and five officials involved in procurement. Meanwhile, Karnal police got a major success in arresting one mandi supervisor of Karnal grain market allegedly in connection with “issuing” fake gate passes. The accused has been identified as Pankaj Tuli, who is already suspended. He was produced in court on Wednesday and taken on two-day police remand to determine the involvement of others. The police are also conducting raids to arrest Karnal mandi secretary Asha Rani, Taraori mandi secretary Sanjeev Sachdeva and other officials and rice miller involved in the cases.

“We have registered one more FIR against two millers in connection with shortage of paddy in two rice mills of Assandh. We have also arrested one suspended mandi supervisor Pankaj Tuli of Karnal grain market in connection with an FIR registered in City police station for his involvement in issuing fake gate passes. We are investigating all the FIRs and the SIT team headed by DSP is investigating all FIRs,” said Ganga Ram Punia, Superintendent of Police (SP), Karnal.

The fresh FIR has been registered against Tarsem Kumar, a resident of Nissing who is owner of Shree Radhe Radhe rice mill, and Shishpal, a resident of Assandh and owner of Aggarwal rice mill in Assandh, on the complaint of Hafed DM Kirpal Das.

A team of Hafed and CM flying squad found a shortage of 15,520.71 quintals of paddy from the stocks of Shree Radhe Radhe Rice Mill, while 8,910.53 quintals were found short at Aggarwal rice mill, said the FIR.