Abohar, May 22

Acting on complaints made to Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu, a team of the Vigilance Department has started physical verification of wheat stocks procured by local officials of the Punjab State Warehousing Corporation (PSWC). The complaints suggested that some traders in Rajasthan had purchased wheat at low price and sold the same illegally in Abohar with the connivance of state agencies.

Two FIRs that were registered last night at the Wahabwala police station indicated that wheat was being purchased from a Sadulshehar (Rajasthan) firm at minimum support price at two rural purchase centres even when the state government had finished procurement on May 13 and the central government was also informed about the decision.

Ajay Kumar, Inspector, Pungrain, told the police that 56,552 quintals of wheat was purchased as per the government policy at Dodewala centre till May 13 and lifting cleared by May 17. But on Friday, when he along with Assistant Food Supplies Officer (AFSO) Vikas Batra visited Dodewala, 407 bags (each of 50 kg) were found stacked there. Labourers reportedly said the stock belonged to Roop Chand Wadhwa, owner of Rajasthan firm Mukesh Traders, Sadulshehar. A case was registered. Preliminary investigation reportedly indicated that cheating was done with connivance of Punjab officials. Another FIR was registered by a team of AFSO Vikas Batra, Inspectors Baldev Singh and Jagdeep Singh who conducted a surprise inspection at the purchase centre at Jhurarkhera village. Sadulshehar trader Roop Chand Wadhwa and PSWC Abohar-based inspector Balbir Singh have been named in the FIR.

The inspecting team said 1,120 bags and about 400 unpacked bags of wheat reportedly marketed by Wadhwa’s firm Mukesh Traders were found there despite closure of procurement. — OC