FCI rice stolen from Tota Singh’s godown

Kulwinder Sandhu

Tribune News Service

Moga, January 30

Ninety bags of custom milled rice belonging to the Food Corporation of India (FCI) have been stolen from Ghal Kalan village in the Moga district, the police sources said here today.

The bags were stored in a godown owned by Punjab Agriculture Minister Jathedar Tota Singh and his family, the source said.

An FIR was registered against unknown persons in this regard at police station (rural) last night, the source added.

We have initiated investigations, but the thieves are yet to be identified, said Assistant Sub-Inspector Amarjit Singh, who is investigating the case.

Gurmail Singh, the watchman of the godown, in a statement to the police said 90 bags of rice (45 quintals) worth Rs 1.5 lakh were found missing from a portion of the godown owned by Mukhtiar Kaur, wife of Agriculture Minister Tota Singh.

The theft might have taken place on the intervening night of January 25 and January 26, said the watchman.

Tota Singh and his family, including three sons and wife Mukhtiar Kaur, collectively own the godown rented out to the FCI for storing rice and wheat.

The total capacity of the godown is 50,000 MT, which is divided into five portions of 10,000 MT each.

The minister’s younger son Barjinder Singh Brar, who is also the chairman of the Punjab Health Systems’ Corporation, is also a co-owner of the godown.

Meanwhile, a senior police officer said the local police had constituted a couple of teams to find out the culprits. “We are suspecting that someone from within the employees of the godown is involved in the theft. Hopefully, the stolen rice will be recovered and the culprits will be behind the bars soon,” said the officer.