CBI Raids 50 Locations Linked to FCI Officials Involved in Bribery for Inferior Grains

CBI is looking into 50 locations in Punjab connected to the Food Corporation of India (FCI) officials who procured inferior grains to benefit merchants and rice millers. The raids are part of ‘Operation Kanak 2’ and are the second round of searches against FCI officials.

The coordinated raids took place in the districts of Sirhind, Fatehpur Sahib, and Monga. Premises of grain merchants, rice mill owners, and serving and retired officials of the FCI are being searched. The officials have been accused of taking bribes of Rs. 1,000 to Rs. 4,000 from private millers for every truck unloaded at the FCI godowns per crop season. The bribe was to cover up lower quality grains that were being supplied by them, among other favors.

The FIR for the case also states that these bribes were distributed with a well-defined percentage of cuts given to officials at every level reaching up to headquarters. The officials ranged from technical assistants to executive directors who are said to be part of a syndicate receiving bribes from private millers.

According to the CBI, “The bribe amount is collected at the depot level by FCI officials on a per truck basis being unloaded at the FCI depot during storage of grains. Thereafter this bribe amount is distributed to the different ranks of FCI.”

As of now, it is unclear what has been uncovered during the raids and what action will be taken against the accused.

Vineet Washington