Kurukshetra: Initial probe indicates misuse of MFMB portal for selling paddy

Nitish Sharma

Kurukshetra, October 18

An initial inquiry being conducted in connection with malpractices being adopted by commission agents for paddy sales indicates the misuse of Meri Fasal Mera Byora (MFMB) portal.

The Bhartiya Kisan Union (Charuni) had raised apprehensions, following which notices were served to people in whose names registrations were done on the portal. As per information, an accountant, who was issued a notice, in his affidavit has accused three firms of commission agents and rice miller of getting fake registrations done in his and his wife’s name, and later transferring the money from their accounts. He claimed that he had not sold paddy to the firms. However, the accused firms in their replies refuted the allegations.

Shahabad grain market committee secretary Krishan Kumar Malik said: “We were getting an inquiry conducted at the market committee level. The accountant blamed three firms for wrong registration on the portal, but the firms have refuted the allegations and claimed that the accountant himself had brought paddy to them. Following their contradictory claims, we have recommended a police investigation into the matter and have forwarded a complaint to the police.”

A commission agent had also got registration done in his name on the portal, and while the lands belonged to other farmers who had borrowed money from him, the agent furnished affidavits of the farmers in his favour.

BKU (Charuni) spokesman Rakesh Bains, who had raised the matter, said: “We have been saying from the start that the portal is being misused. Commission agents and millers are getting the registration done to adjust their stocks and show sales, while there were no arrivals in the market. If an inquiry is conducted, many cases will come to light across the state.”

Two more inquiries by a committee formed by DC Kurukshetra and CM flying squad are also being conducted in the same cases. Deputy Commissioner Shantanu Sharma stated: “About 2.5 acres have been detected in Kurukshetra where paddy was not grown, but the land was registered on the portal. Some lands related to the complaints are in Ambala and Panchkula. We have written to the district authorities for information. All wrong registrations are being cancelled.”