Uttar Pradesh’s food security apparatus reeled under a CBI sting that netted two FCI officials at Chandausi depot for bribery. Acting on a tip from a tormented private vendor, the agency executed a flawless trap, capturing the duo mid-transaction on Wednesday.
The vendor detailed depositing 16 rice stacks at Babrala and preparing eight others, only to be hit with a Rs 50,000 demand for approvals, plus Rs 15,000 each for extras. The manager’s fingerprints were all over the plot, as per CBI findings, turning routine storage into a cash cow.
In the heat of the operation, officials were nabbed accepting Rs 30,000—the first tranche for stack passes and favors. Swift raids uncovered a trove of documents from their setups, providing ammunition for charges under anti-corruption laws.
FCI depots have long been bribery hotspots, where handouts ensure blind eyes to subpar grain or speedy processing for transporters and millers. Echoing prior scandals in Punjab-Haryana syndicates and state-wide busts, this case reinforces CBI’s iron-fist approach.
Probe teams are digging further, anticipating links to other players, with continuous surveillance and summons. Sent to judicial remand, the officials’ fate hangs on unfolding evidence, reminding all of accountability’s long arm.