3 officers chargesheeted in rice misappropriation scam

The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Crime Branch J&K on Tuesday said it has filed a chargesheet against three officers of the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) Department.

A statement by the EOW said a chargesheet was filed before the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate, Sopore, against the three officers.

The accused include Siraj-ud-Din Bhat, a resident of Ganderbal; Mohd Hussain Bhat, a resident of Handwara; and Mohammad Shafi Rather, a resident of Wanigam Pattan.

The police said the case originated from a communication received from the Directorate of FCS and CA indicating suspected misappropriation of rice from the Hygam and Baramulla (Centre D) granaries in north Kashmir.

Acting upon these inputs, a probe was initiated and the SSP Crime Branch Kashmir ordered a joint surprise check to verify the authenticity of dispatches and receipts of food grain consignments.

The police said the joint surprise check uncovered glaring discrepancies. Seven truckloads of rice were shown as dispatched from Private Entrepreneurs Guarantee Scheme, Baramulla.

The challans falsely recorded these consignments as received at Hygam granary and subsequently distributed to sale centres at Wagoora, Nowpora, Kathigan Jathiar, Kalantra, and Dandmoh. However, all these sale centres categorically denied receiving any such stocks and their official records corroborated this denial, the offences wing said.

Further investigation revealed that the challans had been fraudulently procured.

“The investigation established that the accused officers, in criminal conspiracy with each other and with certain officials of FCI Baramulla, misappropriated a large quantity of rice, causing a substantial pecuniary loss to the state exchequer,” the statement said.

Based on extensive oral and documentary evidence, the offences against the accused stand substantiated, officials said. “Consequently, the chargesheet under Section 173 CrPC has been submitted before the competent court for judicial determination,” the EOW said.