A case of rice black marketing and embezzlement has come to light at the Food Corporation of India (FCI) warehouse located in Teengachiya Krishi Bazar Samiti, Katihar district of Bihar. During a surprise raid conducted by Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Alok Chand Chaudhary, authorities discovered shocking irregularities, including 350 metric tons of rice missing and rice sacks filled with bricks.
What does the SDM say about the Rice Black Marketing case?
The SDM has said that complaints had been coming in over the past few days related to the alleged black marketing of government-supplied rice. Receiving a secret tip, a raid was conducted at the warehouse, which held a total of 2,950 metric tons of grain. Moreover, during the inspection, officials were shocked to find that several 50-kg rice sacks had been filled with bricks with respect of the expected weight. Not only this, Cash worth ₹3 lakh was also recovered from a Swift Dzire vehicle that was owned by the personal driver of the Assistant General Manager (AGM). On interrogation, the driver revealed that the money belonged to the Assistant General Manager, who, along with the Marketing Officer, was absent during the raid.
Rice Black Marketing case triggers concern regarding PDS rice corruption
Moreover, the authorities have taken both the AGM’s driver and another suspect into custody. In addition, the case has been transferred to Nagar Police Station for further investigation. The SDM confirmed that as the investigation progresses, there is a possibility of more individuals being involved. This incident has raised a serious concern about rice black marketing and corruption in the Public Distribution System (PDS) in Bihar. In such circumstances, the authorities are expected to tighten the grip of the monitoring mechanism to prevent misuse of goods essential for public welfare.