4 rice millers in dock for alleged embezzlement of Rs 17 cr

The police have registered FIRs against four millers for the alleged embezzlement of rice worth Rs 17.59 crore. The mills failed to deliver rice under the custom-milling rice (CMR) policy for 2023-24.

Investigation by the district administration found that the rice stock was missing in the mills. In one case, a mill was allotted paddy without the verification of documents, which were found to be fake. The Hafed DM has written to the higher authorities for taking action against employees who verified the papers and allotted paddy to the mill.

As many as 17 people, including millers and their guarantors, are among the accused. Three FIRs have been registered on the complaint of Hafed officials, while one FIR has been registered with regard to the embezzlement of rice of the Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department.

“We have registered four FIRs against four millers and their guarantors for cheating. Three FIRs are related to Hafed while one pertains to the food and supplies department. We have started investigation in all four cases,” said SP Ganga Ram Punia.

Amit Kumar, DM (Hafed), said a mill at Gharaunda was allocated paddy despite incomplete documentation. False papers were allegedly presented by the mill owners, and surprisingly, employees and officials still allotted paddy to the mill.

The Gharaunda police have registered a case against Mohit Kumar, owner of the mill, and some others. The mill was allocated 49,444.13 quintals of paddy, but it failed to deliver rice worth Rs 2.66 crore.

Another case has been filed at Sadar police station against Dinesh, Nirmal, and others related to a mill at Jundla, which received an allocation of 22,353.38 quintals of paddy but failed to return rice valued at Rs 1.26 crore.

Another case has been registered against a mill at Phoosgarh, which was allotted 39,798.38 quintals of paddy, but it did not deliver rice worth Rs 3.30 crore.

Following the complaint of the food and supplies department, a case was registered against Saraswati Agro Foods, Karnal, and partners Vipin and Ruchi, besides their guarantors Anil Kumar and Sushil Kumar. The mill was allocated 49,983.75 quintals of paddy, but it failed to deliver rice worth Rs 10.34 crore.