Naraingarh rice miller booked for ‘misappropriation’ of Rs 2.50-cr paddy

The Anti-Corruption Bureau has registered a case against the owner of a rice mill in Naraingarh for alleged misappropriation of over 10,756 quintals of paddy worth Rs 2.50 crore.

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Physical verification conducted

"A physical verification of the stock has been conducted during which 10,756 quintal of paddy worth Rs 2.50 crore has been found short. The Anti-Corruption Bureau, Ambala, has registered a case under charges of the criminal breach of trust and cheating against the rice mill operator and other people and initiated investigation into the matter."

Anti-Corruption Bureau spokesman

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As per the information, there were allegations that the rice miller sold the rice, prepared after custom milling of the paddy given by the government, in the open market. The stock was found short after physical verification. The role of officials of the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department is also under scanner as terms and conditions were not followed while allotting paddy to the miller.

Following the complaint, a team, comprising officials of the Anti-Corruption Bureau, CID, HAFED, and Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department, conducted verification of the stock on January 29.

During physical verification, the team came to know that over 58,793 quintal paddy from Naraingarh and nearby grain markets was allotted to the rice mill. In the stock registered on January 29, 39,432 quintal of paddy was shown in the register, while during verification 33,320 quintal rice was found.

In the stock register, around 5,722 quintal of rice was shown while in the physical verification 1,549 quintal stock was found available. Around 8,310 quintal rice was delivered to godowns of Food Corporation of India (FCI). During investigation, out of 58,793 quintal stock, around 10,756 quintal paddy was found short. The paddy was procured by the government at a cost of Rs 2,320 a quintal, and the cost of missing stock is around Rs 2.50 crore.

A case has been registered against owner of Ambe Rice Mill for misappropriation of paddy and showing wrong quantity of rice in the stock register. As per the complaint registered, the rice miller, in connivance with officers and employees of the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department, had got more stock than its permissible limits. The guarantee and security amount was not given by the miller in connivance with officers/employees of the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department, Ambala, as per the terms and conditions.

According to Anti-Corruption Bureau spokesman, a physical verification of the stock was conducted during which 10,756 quintal of paddy worth Rs 2.50 crore was found short. The Anti-Corruption Bureau, Ambala, registered a case under charges of the criminal breach of trust and cheating against the mill operator and other people and initiated investigation into the matter.