VB ARRESTS THREE PRIVATE EMPLOYEES FOR MISAPPROPRIATING AND SPOILING FCI WHEAT IN WAREHOUSE

Chandigarh March 7 – The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) has arrested three private employees of Globes Ware Housing and Trading Private Limited Company namely Jaspal Kumar Manager, Sukhjinder Singh Warehouse Clerk and Baljinder Singh Warehouse Incharge for misappropriating wheat and pouring water on the sacks stored by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) during the year 2023 in Gurveer Kaur godown at Gill Kalan, Rampura Phul, district Bathinda. The VB would also probe the role of other officer/employee during the investigation of the case.

Disclosing this here today an official spokesperson of the VB said on the basis of confidential information, a team of Vigilance Bureau Unit Bathinda, has inspected the above said godown in the presence of officials/employees of FCI, PUNGRAIN and custodian company Globes Ware Housing Pvt Ltd Delhi. During the probe it was found that the above said employees had misappropriated the wheat. On the basis of this investigation, the VB has registered a case against the said accused under section 13 (1) A, 13 (2), 15 of the Prevention of Corruption Act and sections 409, 120-B of IPC at police station VB range Bathinda.

He further informed that during checking it was found that FCI had got 18 rental godowns through Globes Ware Housing and Trading Pvt Ltd for storing wheat through Pangrain in Bathinda district. The FCI had stored 2,33,374 sacks of wheat weighing 116429.99880 quintals in Gurveer Kaur godown in village Gill Kalan during May 2023. After dispatching the wheat to other states, total 1,57,151 sacks of wheat (weighing 78348.38780 quintals) were remained outstanding in the godown.

During the investigation, it was found that the said accused of Globes Company had already taken out about 165 quintals of FCI wheat from the said store having estimated value of Rs. 4,50,000. To complete the misappropriated wheat, the accused in connivance with others, had spoiled the remaining wheat by pouring water on the sacks thereby increased the weight about 875 grams per quintal. In this way, the said accused had to increase the weight of about 685 quintals of wheat with water which was bound to cause a loss of about Rs 19 lakh to the government and by doing this, they were also playing with the health of people who had to consume the infected wheat flour. During this checking, a video footage of pouring water on wheat sacks was also recovered. In this regard a case has been registered against these accused and they have been arrested who would be produced in the competent court tomorrow.