Role of Faridkot leaders under VB lens in transportation fraud

Tribune News Service

Faridkot, October 26

Two months after the Vigilance Bureau (VB) arrested former Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu in connection with irregularities in transportation and cartage of foodgrains procured during the Congress regime, sleuths have started probing the alleged role of some senior Congress leaders in the scam.

Sleuths compare their poll affidavits

VB sleuths are comparing election affidavits of these leaders for 2012, 2017 and 2022 polls that gave details of their assets

The VB had received complaints from Faridkot pertaining to irregularities involving transportation and cartage of foodgrains

To probe the alleged disproportionate assets of these leaders, VB sleuths are comparing their election affidavits for 2012, 2017 and 2022 polls that gave details of their properties.

The VB had received complaints from Faridkot pertaining to irregularities involving transportation and cartage of foodgrains.

It is alleged that to favour some particular contractors during the allotment of tenders for lifting and transportation of wheat from purchase centres in the district, the police had allegedly stopped the entry of bidders to the office of the District Food and Supply Controller (DFSC) here.

The contractors alleged they were not allowed to enter the DFSC office during the inspection of documents when the tenders were being considered. “As we were unable to supply the Aadhaar number and other documents due to the restricted entry to the DFSC office, our bids were rejected,” a contractor alleged.

“Only one politically connected bidder was allowed the entry. He was the only eligible bidder for the tenders,” alleged the contractors.

Sources said the complaints of tardy lifting in the markets were common due to political influence of the contractors. Sometimes, farmers and commission agents were forced to pay money to these contractors for lifting of crops to create space in the mandis, they said.

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