Ferozepore, January 5
In one of the biggest hauls, the police has recovered missing government paddy worth more than Rs 97 lakh allegedly from the compound of Satman Rice Mills, Guruharsahai. This paddy had been allotted to Pashupati Rice Mills Pvt Ltd, Abohar.

In a press conference held on the premises of Satnam Rice Mills, Mr Praveen Sinha, SSP, Ferozepore, said this was the first recovery of stolen government paddy in the region although 41 cases of this nature had been registered at various places in the district.

Pashupati Rice Mills was allotted to Markfed and the FCI during 2002-03 and later, as per directive of the Deputy Director, Food and Civil Supplies, it was allotted to Punsup, Markfed, the Punjab Warehousing Corporation and the FCI. Pashupati Rice Mills also entered into an agreement with Punsup for stocking up to 30,000 quintals of paddy. Between October 18, 2002, and mid-November, 23,917 quintals of paddy contained in 68,336 bags worth over Rs 50 crore was stocked at the mill. Two chokidars — Hira Bahadur and Laxman Dass — were deputed there to keep an eye on the stock.

Following reports of missing paddy, Punsup raided Pashupati Rice Mills on January 2 and found that of the 68,336 bags of paddy stocked there, only 3,269 bags were lying. The Naib Tehsildar, Abohar, sealed the rice mill and a case was registered under Sections 409, 379 and 7 of the Essential Commodities Act against Baljit Singh, son of Harbhajan Singh of Faridkot, Gulbir Singh, son of Gurbachan Singh of Muktsar, and the two chowkidars of Punsup, Hira Bahadur and Laxman Dass. As per reports, both the present partners of Pashupati Rice Mills are Congressmen and had allegedly used the offices of the Food and Civil Supplies Department and Punsup for the allotment of the paddy.

The SSP said the police, after getting information that around 65,000 bags of paddy were missing, swung into action and acting on a tip-off, located them from Satnam Rice Mills, Guruharsahai. Around 33,000 full and 6,830 empty bags of paddy worth Rs 93 lakh were recovered during the raid. A partner of this mill is Darshan Singh, Circle Jathedar, Shiromani Akali Dal, Guruharsahai, and the Sarpanch of the village.

The police has registered a case against Darshan Singh, Ranjit Singh, Surjit Singh and Satnam Singh, son of Darshan Singh, under Section 411 at Guruharshai police station. Of these Surjit Singh has been arrested whereas the other three are at large.