KOCHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case against eight persons, including manager of a Food Supply Depot (FSD) under the Food Corporation of India (FCI), for diversion of foodgrain to the black market.
Earlier, the CBI had registered a similar case against FCI officers at the FSD at Meenagadi in Wayanad.
The case has been registered against Ansamma Mani, manager of FSD, Thikkodi, Kozhikode; assistants Naveen, Sreeraj A, Madhusoodhanan M K and C K Preman; and three middlemen K T Preman, Rabhilash and Shanthakumar. As part of the investigation, the CBI had conducted raids at the FCI godowns and residence of the accused recently.
As per the FIR, the accused government officers, who were entrusted with the custody of FCI food stocks, abused their official position and entered into a criminal conspiracy with private persons between January and May 2017 to cheat the FCI by misappropriating food stocks, including rice and wheat bags, for pecuniary gain. “The accused persons misappropriated one load of rice grain and six loads of wheat bags and sold it to private persons. This has caused loss to the tune of `16 lakh to the FCI,” according to the FIR submitted at the CBI Court in Kochi.
According to the CBI, the foodgrain diverted from the Thikkodi FCI was taken to a private godown owned by Rabhilah and Santhakumar at Vidyanagar in Kasargod.
The FCI rice was sold out in the local market in Kasargod after repacking. The case is being investigated by Inspector Abdul Aziz.
The CBI will interrogate the accused persons in the coming days. A few days ago, the CBI had arrested two staffers of FSD, Menangadi, for diverting foodgrain to the same company in Kasargod. “We have just initiated the investigation in the case related to diversion of foodgrain from Thikkodi FSD. The decision on recording the arrest of accused will be taken only based on the investigation,” he said.
Earlier, the CBI had registered a similar case against FCI officers at the
Food Supply Depot at Meenangadi in Wayanad