The Hindu : National : Mayawati refers foodgrains scam to CBI

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Monday, Dec 03, 2007
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Mayawati refers foodgrains scam to CBI

Atiq Khan

Follows recommendation of Special Investigation Team

U.P. Chief Minister Mayawati

LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati has referred the multi-crore foodgrains scandal to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The decision follows the recommendation of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) that probed the scam, dating from March 2004 to October 2005, relating to the districts of Sitapur and Gonda. The scam was referred to the SIT in August and it submitted a report to the Government recently.

The SIT concluded that the scam covered around 31 districts and was to the tune of estimated Rs. 35,000 crore with national and international ramifications.

Letter sent to Centre

At a press conference here, Cabinet Secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh said a letter seeking a CBI inquiry was sent to the Centre on Saturday.

Mr. Singh said the SIT found that foodgrains allotted to the families living below the poverty line under the Antvodaya, Annapurna, Mid-day Meal Scheme, BPL Scheme and Sampoorn Gramin Rozgar Yojana were pilfered.

It indicated alleged involvement of high officials of various government departments and private contractors.

Mr. Singh said the SIT, in its report, described the scandal as a “pre-planned conspiracy” involving the use of fake documents. For instance, it found that in one district (Gonda), around 300 trucks were registered for carrying foodgrains but investigations showed that the registration numbers were those of two-wheelers.

Further, the SIT found that the scandal had national and international ramifications in which Railways, nationalised banks and FCI allegedly had a role.

Several petitions were filed in the Allahabad High Court seeking a CBI inquiry. Mr. Singh said that in its order dated March 24, 2005 on petition number 1126 ( M/B), the court said that given the scale and seriousness of the scandal along with the possibility of the involvement of highly-placed persons, the government should consider referring the case to the CBI. The Cabinet Secretary described the scam as the country’s biggest foodgrains scandal. The Chief Minister took a strong view of the fact that foodgrains meant for the poor were sold in markets, he said.

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