Lid off grain transportation scam, 5 booked
Muktsar, February 9
The Vigilance Bureau today claimed to have exposed a scam of transportation of foodgrains in various grain markets in Muktsar district. Scooters, motorcycles and pick-up vans were shown as transport vehicles in 2019-20, said the VB.
Tender fraud
- Vigilance officials claimed that during the investigation, it was found that the accused had obtained tenders fraudulently for grain transportation in connivance with some officials of the Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs.
Disclosing this here, a spokesperson of the Vigilance said four contractors Prem Chand, Vishu Mittal, Yogesh Gupta, Rajiv Kumar and transporter Ramandeep Singh had been booked under Sections 420, 465, 468, 471, 120-B of the IPC at the Economic Offences Wing police station, Ludhiana range.
Vigilance officials claimed that during investigations, it was found that the accused had obtained tenders fraudulently for grain transportation in connivance with some officers and officials of the Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs.
“During the probe, it has come to light that all accused have submitted forged lists of vehicles for getting tenders which could not even transport foodgrains such as pick-up vans, motorcycles, scooters, etc. The department passed the bills based on the forged gate passes and released the money to the contractors, causing a loss to the state exchequer,” said the Vigilance authorities.
Meanwhile, efforts are on to arrest the accused and further investigation is under progress.
Sources in the Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs said three accused belonged to Faridkot and one from Muktsar. “The statements of some employees were registered in the past as there were some clerical mistakes in entering the registration numbers of the vehicles, which were, however, not considered true by the Vigilance officials,” they claimed.
