Lokmat News Network
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
In the black-market case of the School Nutrition Programme, the owner of Gajanan Agro Sales Corporation, Sanjay Bhagirathmal, has absconded. Meanwhile, his manager Matinoddin Ghazanfaroddin Qazi, along with supervisors Balwantsingh Chauhan and Rohit Singh, has been arrested, said Daulatabad Police Inspector Rekha Londhe.
Earlier, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Nitin Bagate exposed the black market operation of grains running in Karodi Shivar. This location was found to be repackaging grains meant for the Child Development Project and the Punjab government's food supply, despite the prohibition on auctioning such grains. From a single government sack, 20 to 25 private-label packets were being prepared. The police suspect that these repackaged grains were being sold in other states for crores of rupees under private branding.
According to senior officials from the Zilla Parishad, “The stock might have initially reached Anganwadi centres before being diverted to the black market.”
Main accused absconding
Sanjay Agrawal, the owner of the company, had taken over its operations on a contractual basis seven years ago. Following the raid on Saturday, he has gone into hiding. On Tuesday, Inspector Londhe presented the arrested manager and supervisors before the court where they were awarded police custody remand for two days.
Key Investigation Points
-Who supplied and transported the nutrition programme grains to the company?
-What was the procurement process for raw materials, and how was the grain polished and sold?
-At what price was the nutrition programme grain purchased?
-Who managed the financial transactions related to this operation?
FCI still unresponsive
The Child Development Project Department has lodged a complaint conducting a site inspection and documenting the irregularities related to the seized grain. The remaining stock belongs to the Food Corporation of India (FCI), and the police have been waiting for FCI officials for three days. Officials were expected to come forward voluntarily, but their absence has only raised further suspicion, according to the police.