Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, Sept 7: Crime Branch has unearthed multi-crore ration pilferage and misappropriation scam in which ration meant for BPL ration card holders under Mufti Mohammad Sayeed Food Entitlement Scheme (MMSFES) has been sold in black market by the officials of the Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA).
Inspector General of Police Crime, Muneer Ahmad Khan, told Excelsior that they have only raided 27 ration depots in Pulwama district so far where they have found pilferage and misappropriation of ration meant for the general masses under the MMSFES.
Khan said that they have reports that this trend of misappropriation and pilferage in distribution of ration under the scheme has been followed across Kashmir valley. He said that the officials of the FCS&CA Department have sold the ration at Rs 25 per kilogramme in black market and deposited only Rs 10 per kilogramme with the bank.
The IG Crime said that an in-depth investigation into the misappropriation of ration, its pilferage and black-marketing has been initiated by the agency in a time bound manner for stringent action against the black-marketeers and officials involved in the scam.
Khan said that they are writing to the FCS&CA Minister for departmental action against the officials who are found involved in the multi-crore scam.
He said further investigations are underway to ascertain the losses incurred to the State exchequer and actual amount of pilferage enabling the agency to fix responsibility and initiate action against the culprits.
Khan said the inspections conducted by the Crime Branch revealed that ration distribution was made on papers only. “In actual no ration was distributed among the rationees in the areas”, he said.
“It was found that various officials of FCS&CA Department in league with each other had misappropriated hundreds of quintals of ration showing it as being distributed among the families without any actual distribution from the depots and shops,” Khan said.
He said misappropriated ration was sold in open market at exorbitant rates in view of current situation taking undue advantage of the artificial scarcity of the ration created by a group of officials.
The Crime Branch conducted raids of various ration depots in Pulwama and Awantipora and inspected records wherein it was found that ration meant for BPL ration card holders under MMSFES has been grossly misappropriated by officials of the Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs as well as dealers and operators in connivance with black-marketers.
Sources said that in Awantipora Zone 35, 700 kilogrammes of rice whose market rate is Rs 25 per kilogramme have been shown in the records as received by the department but there is no sale and distribution record.
The officials of the department have deposited money for the rice at Rs 10 per kilogramme but allegedly sold in black market. The Crime Branch officials have checked the ration cards of various ration card holders for whom the ration was meant but they have not received it at all.
The Crime Branch has also found that ration meant for the public has been sold in black market but the inquiry is still in initial stage as the officials of the department have not been able to conduct ground level inquiry yet due to unrest. However, sources said the records show that the ration meant for the general public has been sold in black market.
The physical check of supplies in district granary in Pulwama zone by the Crime Branch in presence of Magistrates has revealed excess quantity of 45 quintals of rice against actual balance supposed to be in the godown which was stored illegally for sale in black market as a part of ongoing scam.
The Crime Branch officials said that the officials of the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs fled from the godown sensing trouble. However, they have been summoned to associate with the probe which is underway.
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