CBI COURT CONVICTS 14 FCI OFFICIALS AND 16 PRIVATE RICE MILLERS IN 2004-05 PUNJAB RICE PROCUREMENT SCAM

Face2News/Mohali

The CBI Court, Mohali, Punjab, on Friday, has convicted and sentenced 30 accused persons, including 14 officials of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) and 16 private rice millers in 2004-05 Punjab Rice Procurement Scam.

The convicted accused were held guilty of criminal conspiracy and cheating under the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The 14 FCI officials were additionally convicted under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.The Court has sentenced the convicted persons to rigorous imprisonment ranging from one to three years, along with fines.

The case relate to a criminal conspiracy between FCI officials and private rice millers during Kharif Season 2004-05, wherein substandard rice was accepted as Grade-A rice at FCI centres in Malerkotla, Sunam and Tapa, District Sangrur, Punjab. This resulted in wrongful payments to rice millers and financial loss to FCI.

The irregularities came to light during Joint Surprise Checks conducted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)in September 2005. Laboratory examination of rice samples confirmed that the consignments did not conform to the prescribed quality specifications. Accordingly,the CBI registered the case on 07.01.2006.

After completion of investigation, three separate chargesheets were filed on 28.11.2008.

Details of conviction and sentence are as under:

Malerkotla Centre Case (CC No. 59/2017)

The Hon’ble Court has convicted10 accused persons, comprising 05 FCI Officials and 05 Private Rice Millers.

FCI Officials namely,Varinder Rajput,Girdari Lal and K.P. Singh, the then Technical Assistants, FCI, andRaunaq Ali and R.N. Sharma, the then Assistant Managers (Quality Control), FCI, have been sentenced to Rigorous Imprisonment (RI) for Two Years with a fine of Rs. 15,000 each.
Private Rice Millers, namely, Harish Kumar and Rajnish Kumar, Partners ofM/s Shiv Shakti Rice Agro Products, and Rakesh Goyal, Partner of M/s R.K. Agro Tech, have been sentenced to Rigorous Imprisonment (RI) for Three Years with a fine of Rs. 25,000 each while Ramesh Singla, Partner of M/s Shiv Shakti Rice Agro Products, and Narinder Kumar, Partner of M/s Satkartar Rice and Agro Mills, have been sentenced toRigorous Imprisonment (RI) for Two Years with a fine of Rs. 20,000 each.

Sunam Centre Case (CC No. 60/2017)

The Hon’ble Court has convicted06 accused persons, comprising 03 FCI officials and 03 private rice millers. FCI officials, namely,R.C. Verma, the then Assistant Manager (Quality Control), FCI, and Som Pal Singh and K.L. Gulati, the then Technical Assistants, FCI, have been sentenced to Rigorous Imprisonment (RI) for Two Years with a fine of Rs.15,000 each. Private Rice Millers namely, Kewal Krishan, Partner of M/s Mahavir Rice Mills, has been sentenced to One Year’s Rigorous Imprisonmentwith a fine of Rs.10,000 while Hari Ram and Jiwan Lal, Partners of M/s K.C. Rice Millshave been sentenced toRigorous Imprisonment for Two Years with a fine of Rs. 20,000 each.

Tapa Centre Case (CC No. 66/2017)

The Hon’ble Court convicted14 accused persons, comprising 06 FCI officials and 08 private persons. FCI Officials, namely, Gurmail Singh, the then Deputy Manager (Quality Control), FCI, R.S. Sirohi, the then Assistant Manager (Quality Control), FCI,Ramesh Kumar, Harinder Singh, Harish Kumar and Satnam Singh, the then Technical Assistants, FCI have been sentenced to Rigorous Imprisonment (RI) for Two Years with a fine of Rs.15,000 each.
Private Persons, namely , Budh Ram, Partner of M/s Bansal Rice Mills, Pardeep Sharma, Chairman of Sukhanand Rice Udyog Samiti, and Bhushan Kumar, Proprietor of M/s Ganga Rice Mills have been sentenced toRigorous Imprisonment (RI) for Three Yearswith a fine of Rs. 20,000 each while Vinod Kumar, Partner of M/s Jai Jwala Rice Mills,Bharat Bhushan, Secretary of Dhaliwal Rice Udyog Samiti, Ashok Kumar and Surinder Kumar, Partners of M/s Luxmi Rice Mills, and Ramesh Kumar, Partner of M/s B.I.D. Rice Mills, have been sentenced to Rigorous Imprisonment (RI)for Two Years with a fine of Rs.20,000 each.