The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has intensified its investigation into the alleged ‘Custom Rice Milling Scam’ of Chhattisgarh worth over 150 crores. The economic intelligence agency raided a number of premises linked to rice businessmen in connection with the case in Durg and the state’s capital, Raipur on May 31.
The sleuths of the agency have raided two locations each in Durg and Raipur, along with raiding premises linked to businessman and former general secretary of the Rice Miller Association, Anil Agarwal in Kharora.
According to the reports, the officials of the agency have also raided drug-based premises linked to the president of Rice Millar Association, Kailash Rungta. Significantly, this is not the only time that the premises linked to Rungta has been raided by the investigative agencies and officials of Income Tax (IT) and ED had also conducted raids at premises linked to Rungta in the past as well.
The fresh raids conducted by the ED have been carried out days after it arrested Roshan Chandrakar, former treasurer of the ‘Rice Millers Association’, in connection with the alleged ‘Custom Rice Milling Scam’ worth around Rs 175 crore on May 16.
Roshan was granted a 14 day ED’s custody by a special court on Monday, May 27, after he was produced before the court following the completion of his previous remand.
Notably, Chandrakar arrest follows the nabbing of former Managing Director (MD) of the State’s Marketing Federation (MARKFED), Manoj Soni, who was apprehended by the ED officials on April 30 this year.
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 in connection with an FIR registered by the agency on the basis of ED’s previous investigation into the case.
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
ED began its probe into the case on the basis of a complaint filed by the Income Tax Department before a Raipur court. Following its enquiry into the matter, the agency in a statement issued last year, claimed that Rs175 crore bribes were generated through this alleged scam for the “benefits of higher powers”.
The premiere agency 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, 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.
The economic intelligence agency, during the raids conducted at various locations, also claimed to recover various incriminating documents, digital devices, and unaccounted cash of Rs 1.06 crore.
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