CBI expands probe after HC prod

The agency has to probe large-scale diversion of wheat and rice from the public distribution system in these districts between 2004 and 2007. The CBI is already probing the racket in Ballia,Lakhimpur Kheri and Sitapur. In fact,it has also filed chargesheets in Ballia and Kheri cases.

A senior CBI official said they have received all the documents from the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the UP Police which had been investigating the cases in Varanasi,Lucknow and Gonda so far.

He said the SIT had found the district magistrates of these districts had a role in the scandal,but did not investigate them. The CBI has started collecting the names of all the officers who served as DMs in these districts at that time.

The SIT found that thousands of quintals of foodgrain meant for BPL cardholders,Sampoorna Gramin Rojgar Yojna,Jawahar Rojgar Yojna and mid-day meal scheme were sold in the open markets in the state,or transported outside state and even sent to Bangladesh and Nepal.

The racket was rampant in 41 districts including Agra,Aligarh,Azamgarh,Allahabad,Ballia,Etah,Ghazipur,Gonda,Jhansi,Kanpur,Lakhimpur Kheri,Lucknow,Mirzapur,Mathura,Muzaffarnagar,Sonebhadra,Sitapur and Varanasi.

The SIT had found that in Gonda alone,foodgrain worth Rs 457 crore were sold in the market. As many as 63 cases were registered 233 people chargesheeted.