Sardarpur: A month after a case of 162 missing wheat bags came to fore at Khutpala village under Sardarpur tehsil of Dhar district, assistant food officer’s probe report has now kicked up another row.
According to reports, salesman Munnalal Maru had died in a road accident on September 15, this year. On September 18, a few villagers claimed that 162 out of 352 bags of wheat, meant for PDS shop, kept at Santosh Maroo’s house were found missing.
Following their complaint, Primitive Caste Service Cooperative Society manager on September 19, prepared a panchnama. Later, an application based on the panchnama was submitted with Rajoda police station seeking action against house owner.
A month later, investigation by assistant officer Rajesh Verma revealed that only four bags of wheat were found missing. Verma submitted the report to sub-divisional magistrate Vijay Rai.
Notably, FREE PRESS had raised the issue on September 25 and September 27.
Following the probe report, villagers have accused officials of protecting the house owner. They said that panchnama clearly stated that 162 bags were found missing. However, probe report claims that only four were missing. “How is it possible,” said villagers.
Contacted SDM Rai confirmed that report presented by Verma claimed that only four bags were found missing. The report also mentioned that many wheat bags were stored in another room.
Rai added that department has served notice to the society for hiring private godown without any agreement, which was illegal. Administration would initiate action on the basis of the society’s reply.
However, villagers claimed that after the panchnama was prepared Santosh Maroo had claimed that remaining bags were kept in another room. However, his claim was rejected by officials, who disowned wheat kept in another room. They said that all bags meant for PDS shop have PDS marking, while those kept in another room didn’t have any marking.
The villagers have now raised doubts over department’s functioning. Villagers claimed that neither officials nor police were responding to their queries and claimed that it could be the tip of another foodgrain scam in the area.
