As many as seven truckloads of rice meant for poor families in the Kashmir Valley were allegedly stolen by officers of the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs (FCS&CA) Department of Jammu and Kashmir, in connivance with officials of the Food Corporation of India (FCI).
After misappropriating this huge quantity of subsidized rice—intended for families living below the poverty line—the officials allegedly sold it in the open market through fraudulent means.
The Economic Offences Wing (Crime Branch Kashmir) has unearthed a sophisticated rice diversion scam involving senior officials of the FCS&CA Department. A comprehensive charge-sheet has been filed before the Court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Sopore, in connection with the illegal disappearance of multiple truckloads of government-supplied rice.
The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Crime Branch J&K has filed a charge-sheet in FIR No. 07/2020 under Sections 409, 420 and 120-B RPC before the Court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate, Sopore, against three officers of the Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs Department.
The accused include:
Siraj-ud-Din Bhat (then Tehsil Supply Officer, PEG Baramulla), son of Mohammad Sidiq Bhat, resident of Waripora, Safapora Ganderbal;
Mohammad Hussain Bhat (then TSO/Storekeeper, Hygam Granary), son of Abdul Rahim Bhat, resident of Kichloo, Qazipora Handwara; and
Mohammad Shafi Rather, alias Shafi Kanda (then TSO, Hygam Granary), son of Mohammad Sultan Rather, resident of Wanigam Pattan.
The case originated from a communication received from the Directorate of FCS&CA indicating suspected misappropriation of rice from the Hygam and Baramulla (Centre D) granaries. Acting upon this information, a preliminary probe was launched, and the SSP Crime Branch Kashmir ordered a Joint Surprise Check (JSC) to verify the authenticity of dispatches and receipts of food grain consignments.
The JSC uncovered glaring discrepancies. Seven truckloads of rice were shown as dispatched from PEG (Private Entrepreneurs Guarantee Scheme) Baramulla under the supervision of FCI officials and the TSO, PEG Baramulla.
The challans falsely recorded these consignments as having been received at Hygam Granary and subsequently distributed to sales centres at Wagoora, Nowpora, Kathigan Jathiar, Kalantra, and Dandmoh. However, all these sales centres categorically denied receiving any such stocks, and their official records corroborated their statements.
Further investigation revealed that the challans had been fraudulently procured by Assistant Storekeeper Palhallan Pattan, Mohammad Shafi Rather, from Siraj-ud-Din Bhat, and subsequently processed through TSO Hygam, Mohammad Hussain Bhat.
The investigation established that the accused officers, in criminal conspiracy with each other and with certain FCI officials in Baramulla, misappropriated a large quantity of rice, causing substantial pecuniary loss to the state exchequer.
Based on extensive oral and documentary evidence, the offences against the accused stand substantiated. Consequently, the charge-sheet under Section 173 Cr.PC has been submitted before the competent court for judicial determination.
