Jabalpur: A major wheat procurement scam has come to light in Madhya Pradesh’s Jabalpur district, where wheat worth about Rs 1.37 crore was found missing during an administrative inquiry. Police have registered an FIR against 10 people, including the procurement centre in-charge and other staff linked to the operation.
The case relates to Maa Annapurna Warehouse in Majholi. Officials found that 5,167.70 quintals of wheat were missing when they compared records with the actual stock available at the warehouse. The value of the missing wheat has been estimated at around Rs 1.37 crore.
The irregularities surfaced during a surprise inspection by an administrative team. Investigators found a significant difference between official records and physical stock.
According to the inquiry, the State Civil Supplies Corporation had supplied 92,250 gunny bags to the procurement centre. However, records showed their use for only 48,347 quintals of wheat. At the same time, 96,694 bags were uploaded on the procurement portal, raising questions about the accuracy of entries made in the system.
Officials also found that instructions issued by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) were not followed during the final days of procurement. Farmers’ weighing slips were supposed to be verified by the nodal officer, but the required certification process was allegedly ignored.
The inquiry further revealed that female employees were to be appointed for procurement-related work under government guidelines. Instead, two men, identified as Aman Pandey and Akash Pandey, were reportedly engaged in weighing, stitching and measurement work. Data related to procurement was later uploaded to the portal by computer operators Mayuri Lodhi and Shubham Barman.
The inquiry also pointed to allegations of illegal collection of money from farmers during the procurement process.
Based on a complaint filed by the district administration, Majholi police registered an FIR against 10 people. Those named in the case include procurement centre in-charge and committee president Reena Lodhi, Shubham Barman, Mayuri Lodhi, Pramod Kumar Mishra, Prakash Pandey, Anand Bharsakale, Aman Pandey, Akash Pandey, Anil Patel and Rinku Sahu.
Additional Superintendent of Police Suryakant Sharma said Majholi police are investigating the alleged fraud. He said the preliminary inquiry found a wheat shortage valued at nearly Rs 1.37 crore.
For more coverage on inflation, fuel prices and Madhya Pradesh politics, read updates on Vision MP.
Disclaimer: The information in this report is sourced from social media posts, user-generated content and publicly available reports. Vision MP does not independently verify or endorse the claims made in such content. The report is published for informational purposes only, and readers should refer to official statements for confirmation.
