The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested Roshan Chandrakar, treasurer of the ‘Rice Millers Association’ in connection with an alleged ‘Custom Rice Milling Scam’ of Chhattisgarh worth around Rs 175 crores.
The arrested accused, Chandrakar, was allegedly involved in the said scam, which flourished under the state on the instruction of the key accused, Manoj Soni.
The accused Chandrakar was apprehended days after sleuths of the agency also nabbed former Managing Director (MD) of the State’s Marketing Federation (MARKFED), Manoj Soni, on April 30.
Soni, a prime accused in the case, was picked up from the Economic Offence Wing/Anti-Corruption Bureau (EOW/ACB) office, where he had arrived after being summoned by the agency in connection with an FIR registered by the agency on the basis of ED’s previous investigation into the case.
Soni was later produced before a Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) special court at Raipur from where he was sent to remand for five days.
ED, Raipur has arrested Manoj Soni, the then MD MARKFED, one of the prime accused in the Custom Rice Milling Scam of Chhattisgarh on 30/04/2024.
— ED (@dir_ed) May 1, 2024
It must be noted that the economic intelligence agency started its investigation into the case on the basis of a complaint filed by the Income Tax Department before a Raipur court.
Earlier, the ED in a statement issued last year, claimed that Rs175 crore bribes were generated through this alleged scam for the “benefits of higher powers”.
According to the reports, the ED in its complaint, stated that in this process, corruption was done on a large scale and money was collected on the basis of per quintal. Various government official misused their position and colluded with the rice millers and received undue benefits, causing financial loss to the government.
The investigation further revealed that Soni had instructed other officials of the State MARKFED through Chandrakar that the bills of only those rice millers who gave commission money, will only be paid.
ED has conducted search operations on 20/10/2023 and 21/10/2023 at the premises of ex-MD of MARKFED, Treasurer & office bearers of Chhattisgarh Rice Millers Association, District Marketing Officers, & few Rice Millers in Custom Rice Milling Special Incentive scam. During the…
— ED (@dir_ed) October 23, 2023
In October last year, the central agency also conducted raids on consecutive days at the premises of the then MD, Manoj Soni, treasurers, District Marketing Officer (DMO) of the MARKFED along with office bearers of Chhattisgarh Rice Miller Association and a few rice millers in Custom Rice Milling Special Incentive scam.
It was further revealed by the agency that during the raids conducted at various locations the ED has also recovered various incriminating documents, digital devices, and unaccounted cash of Rs 1.06 crore
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