-The Hindu
Sleuths from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducted searches in 12 locations in Lucknow district on Saturday in connection with the multi-crore foodgrains scam in Uttar Pradesh.
The scam relates to sale of wheat and rice — meant for distribution to the poor — in the black market from 2002 to 2007, and was estimated to be of the order of around Rs. 35,000 crore.
The locations included those in Gosainganj, Mohanlalganj, Malihabad and Bakshi ka Talab in Lucknow, sources said. While the agency here remained tight-lipped, sources said premises of contractors and private suppliers of government-owned godowns were searched. Sources said the sleuths checked the godown of the UP Essential Commodities Corporation in Gauri under the Sarojini Nagar police station area for more than two hours. The premises of a truck operator in the Naka area of the State capital also came under the scanner, they said.
Investigations into the scam revealed that wheat and rice meant for distribution to the poor under the Sampoorna Gramin Rozgar Yojana (SGRY), Antyodaya Yojana and the PDS were sold in the black market with the alleged connivance of officials, politicians, middlemen and contractors. The racket was found to be flourishing in the State since 2002.
Evidence of the foodgrains being smuggled to Nepal and Bangladesh was also found by the agencies after interception of two trucks.
In 2005, the former Chief Minister, Mulayam Singh, handed over the inquiry to the Economic Offences Wing of the U.P. Police and later to the Special Investigation Team. Following the regime change in 2007, a CBI inquiry was recommended by the former Chief Minister, Mayawati, in December that year. When Ms. Mayawati was the Chief Minister, the SIT revealed that the scam covered Antyodaya and SGRY from 2002 to 2005.