19th September 2016
GUNTUR: CBI sleuths who are investigating a multi-crore scam allegedly carried out by officials of the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) and the staff of marketing yards will visit the Krosur market in Guntur district Tuesday to question farmers who sold cotton to CCI at the yard in 2014-15. Some 3.5 lakh quintals of cotton was purchased from farmers in the Krosur market that year.
The agency is deputing an officer of the rank of assistant superintendent of police (ASP) to inquire into the fraud. In 2014-15 farmers lodged a complaint with CBI that CCI and market yard officials violated rules governing the purchase of cotton and fraudulently earned hundreds of cores of rupees.
A top official told New Indian Express, speaking on the condition of anonymity, that CBI officials are probing procurement transactions relating to 89 lakh quintals at the minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 3,850 from 45,000 farmers. The staff allegedly cooked the records to boost the value and volume of cotton purchased.
In Kadapa district, the records showed that they stored 1000 quintals in a godown the capacity of which was only 100 quintals. This in essence is the fraud. After the irregularities came to light, CCI transferred its Guntur branch manager and three buyers to different states.
Meanwhile, the state government ordered an internal inquiry by a deputy director of the marketing department in every district. The government has assessed that the biggest scams took place in Guntur, Krishna and East Godavari districts. The inquiry revealed that market yard secretaries, supervisors and clerks were in on the scam.
Vigilance authorities and CBI have more or less believe that 64 employees of marketing yards around the state and CCI officials were involved in the scam. They also arrived at the conclusion that the fraud took place in 43 market yards. (Source: The New Indian Express)