New Delhi: Moving closer towards busting a massive nexus of ‘Arhtiyas’, Food Corporation of India (FCI) officials and some politicians in Punjab, the CBI conducted searches at 50 locations in Punjab as part of its probe into the channelised corruption in FCI in connivance with grain merchants and private rice-millers.
Alleged corruption worth at least Rs 350 crores has been unearthed by CBI till now in the searches, sources said. During searches at around 99 locations, Rs 1. 03 crore, fixed deposits worth to the extent of over Rupees three crores, incriminating documents and digital services etc were recovered.
Office-bearers of Federation of Arhtiyas Association of Punjab are under the radar of the CBI. "The CBI closely monitored the activities of Vijay Kalra, President of the association, Deepak Tayal, Secretary and Jasvinder Rana, President (District-level). The agency also conducted searches at premises of other district presidents and vice presidents," said officials.
"Many of these officials and district presidents also participated in the farmers' protest that took place in the Singhu border in November 2020. Allegations against them pertains to collusion with FCI officials, who were paid bribe while they sold low-quality foodgrains," said sources.
The search operation namely, Kanak II was conducted at Mansa, Hoshiarpur, Ludhiana, Firozpur, Sangrur, etc. “Incriminating documents and digital devices have so far been recovered. The operation was launched to break the nexus of channelised corruption in FCI involving officials of FCI, private rice millers and grain merchants," said CBI spokesperson. The agency had earlier arrested DGM (Quality Control), proprietor of a firm based at Kharar and a lab manager at FCI, DO, Chandigarh.
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