600 bags of govt wheat seized, RTI activist seeks probe

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, August 20

The Gate Hakima police have confiscated around 600 bags of government wheat being unloaded at a private residence. The police have initiated the process of registration of case against the depot holder who was allotted the wheat.

The incident came to light when an RTI activist, Varun Sareen, got a tip-off and informed higher officials of the District Food and Civil Supply Department in Chandigarh, district administration and the local police.

Immediately, Assistant Food and Civil Supply officer Sandeep Singh, Food Inspectors Prabhdeep Singh and Bir Karan Singh among other staff reached the spot for verification.

Sareen said the wheat was loaded in a tractor-trailer from a godown located near the Bhagtanwala market. Instead of going to the designated place, the tractor-trailer stopped near Bangla Basti and labourers started unloading wheat bags at a residence. He said around 245 bags were already unloaded while the remaining was in the trailer.

The officials said the wheat was being bungled at the behest of a depot holder. Further investigations would be carried out by the department to ascertain the truth. Interestingly, members of the Food Inspectors’ Union also reached the spot.

Meanwhile, Sareen alleged that it was the responsibility of food inspectors to supervise the loading from godown till its unloading at the designated depot. This means that the government wheat was being misappropriated in connivance with officials of the department, he said, adding that a high level probe should be conducted into the incident.

Gate Hakima SHO Jagtar Singh said the case was being registered and further investigations were under progress.