Bhopal: In a statewide crackdown on corruption in various cooperative committees, the Madhya Pradesh Economic Offences Wing (EOW) unearthed fraudulent activities in the procurement of nearly 20,000 quintals of paddy.
The agency discovered that committee members, managers, and staff were involved in falsifying documents and manipulating warehouse and transport records.
The scam extends beyond the procurement committees.
According to a statement, some transporters, warehouses, and rice mills might also be involved in this scam. They circumvent the e-upaj portal by falsely registering farmers and creating fake procurement records.
Many procurement committees have been found to falsely register farmers and claim paddy procurement on the e-upaj portal without actually procuring any paddy.
They then create fake transport and warehouse records, and payments are made based on the quantities entered by the committee. This fraud costs the government crores of rupees every year.
Following the instructions of Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, the EOW launched a state-wide crackdown against the massive paddy procurement scam.
The agency conducted raids on 150 procurement committees and 140 warehouses across 12 districts.
During these raids, the EOW discovered shocking evidence of fraud and misappropriation in the procurement of 19,910.53 quintals of paddy, valued at approximately Rs 5 crore, according to the statement.
So far, the investigation has covered 150 Upaj Samitis and 140 warehouses in districts such as Balaghat, Jabalpur, Dindori, Rewa, Satna, Maihar, Sagar, Patna, Gwalior, Namdapuram, Narsinghpur, and Bhopal. Chief Minister Yadav has asked the EOW to take stern legal action against the fraudsters.
In Satna, a warehouse was found storing 535 quintals of husk instead of paddy, highlighting the extent of the scam.
According to the statement, legal action is already underway against more than 79 officials from various procurement committees.
The relentless efforts of 25 EOW teams are expected to uncover more fraudulent activities in numerous other committees.
Reports of irregularities in paddy procurement have been flooding in from various parts of the state.
Chief Minister Yadav has directed the EOW to take effective action to curb this scam. Following his instructions, 25 teams were formed to carry out statewide raids.
In the Kanak warehouse in Satna, the investigation agency found husk instead of 535 quintals of paddy, which had been stored by Seva Sahakari Samiti Pindra and Seva Sahakari Samiti Hiraundi, District Satna.
Both committees committed fraud in the procurement of 4,203 quintals of paddy. Similarly, 16 committees in the Balaghat district were involved in fraud while procuring paddy or making fake procurements, according to the statement.
At the Sarhari centre in Dindori district, the EOW discovered fraud in the procurement of 1,053 quintals of paddy.
A committee in Chhirari, Sagar district, was involved in making fake procurements and falsifying documents and receipts for the procurement of 401 quintals of paddy. The EOW will continue its action, and more scams will likely be uncovered.
The agency is also investigating the roles of transporters, warehouses, and rice mills involved in this fraud, the statement further said.
(IANS)
