After the Commonwealth Games, 2G spectrum and Adarsh Society, the CBI is now probing a Rs35,000 crore food grain scam in Uttar Pradesh.
It is not for nothing that India is ranked 87th on the global corruption list. After Commonwealth Games, the second generation mobile telephony spectrum allocation and Adarsh Society, CBI is now probing a Rs35,000-crore food grain scam in Uttar Pradesh (UP).
The enforcement directorate (ED) has also begun the process of conducting searches and seizures of assets, properties and cash of all officials involved in the scam that relates to diversion of food grain meant for the poor.
A large stock of food grain meant for distribution under the Antyodaya, Annapurna and Mid-Day Meal schemes was smuggled and sold in Bangladesh, Nepal and other countries in connivance with top officials of the state and the Centre between 2001 and 2007.
CBI claims more than 200 state and central government officials are involved.
UP chief minister Mayawati had recommended a CBI probe into the scam on December 1, 2007. Subsequently, the agency filed nine FIRs — eight in Ballia and one in Lakhimpur Kheri. It also named several officers of the UP government.
Food grain meant for distribution to the poor either free of cost or at highly subsidised rates in at least 31 districts of UP was diverted out of the state and, in some cases, out of the country by forging documents.
ED will soon register cases under the prevention of money laundering and foreign exchange management acts against officials involved.
“All involved officials of the state and central governments are being served notices to explain their stand. If they failed to do so, we will carry out a series of raids against those officials and make seizures and attachments of their properties and recovered assets,” a senior ED official close to the probe said.
His confidence stemmed from an important verdict delivered by a division bench of the Allahabad high court on Monday, asking parliament to amend rules to enable prosecution of corrupt bureaucrats after three months of the government authority concerned denying permission for the same.
The UP government had initially refused permission to prosecute under CrPC section 198 several officers involved in the scam. But the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court ordered on December 3 that it give permission for prosecution of the employees involved.
The court also asked CBI and other investigating agencies, including ED, to complete probe within the next
six months.
It directed that the agencies expeditiously investigate accusations made against each and every person irrespective of the position and status of such persons. “It is imperative to retain public confidence in impartial working of state agencies,” the bench said.
Accordingly, CBI and other investigating agencies shall now proceed with further inquiry not only with regard to Ballia, Lakhimpur and Sitapur districts but also with regard to Varanasi, Gonda and Lucknow districts.
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