Centre asks CBI to probe irregularities at IFFCO

The Centre on Tuesday said it has asked the CBI to probe complaints of irregularities at IFFCO, including alleged money laundering by its chief and the illegal repatriation of Government’s equity. The complaints received between 2013 and 2017 are related to the cases of corruption and irregularities against officials of Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Ltd (IFFCO), including its Managing Director US Awasthi and his family members. “Department of Fertilisers has reffered various complaints pertaining to corruption and irregularities in IFFCO to CBI for enquiry/reports and the same are awaited,” Minister of State for Fertilisers Rao Inderjit Singh said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.

The cases, which the Fertiliser Ministry has asked CBI to probe, are related to alleged money laundering by the IFFCO managing director, his sons, relatives and friends associated with the cooperative, he said.

They also relate to alleged grabbing of the guest house and posh bungalow by Awasthi in an illegal and unlawful manner, subsidy fraud by opening Kisan International Trading, earning huge illegal commission in imports of raw materials and finished fertilisers thereby creating huge loss to the society, the Minister added.  The Pioneer had carried a series of stories on  malpractices in IFFCO three years ago. The Minister further mentioned that the cases to be probed also include alleged “illegal extension of Awasthi’s term of superannuation beyond the age of 65 years, increasing his remuneration and other functional directors, seeking favours from political parties by extending donations in a camouflaged way in violation of Multi State Cooperative Societies Act (MSCS), 2002”.