Labour cartage & transport scam surfaces in Ferozepur

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 27

The Vigilance Bureau (VB) has unearthed another scam in regard to a fraud in labour cartage and transport tenders in the Ferozepur grain markets. It is alleged that contractors, in connivance with officials of the Food and Civil Supplies Department, have defrauded and embezzled money.

A case has been registered against three contractors/tenderers — Davinder Singh of Faridkot, and Daviderpal and Gurushakti, residents of Talwandi Bhai — under Sections 420, 409, 467, 468, 471 and 120-B of the IPC, and Section 13(1) and (2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act at the VB police station in Ferozepur.

What is tender allotment scam

During the filing of tenders for labour cartage and transport for wheat/stock articles for the 2022-23 period, the accused contractors attached details of invalid vehicles such as motorcycles, jeeps and tractor-trailers

Davinder has been arrested.

At the time of filing tenders for labour cartage and transport in the grain markets of Ferozepur and Mamdot for wheat/stock articles for the 2022-2023 period, the accused contractors had attached the lists of the registration numbers of vehicles for transportation of goods.

These tenders listed several registration numbers of invalid vehicles such as motorcycles, jeeps and tractor-trailers.

As the vehicle numbers were invalid, the details of the quantity of food grains has become prima facie a case of fake reporting and embezzlement as shown in the gate passes to the grain markets. The officials of the department concerned made payment to the contractors without verifying these gate passes.

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