Lucknow: Former Sub-Divisional Magistrate of Gola has been arrested by the CBI in connection with the multi-crore Uttar Pradesh food grain scam.
The accused, Pramod Shankar Shukla, who was an Additional District Magistrate in waiting, was allegedly involved in diversion of foodgrains meant for distribution among people living below poverty line (BPL).
CBI has registered a case against 104 people for their involvement in the scam on the request of Uttar Pradesh government.
"It was alleged in the FIR that the accused persons had caused wrongful loss in crores of rupees to the Government exchequer in an illegal purchase; issuance of foodgrain by cheating, forgery, and preparing false documents under Below Poverty Line Scheme (BPL) sponsored by Government of India," a CBI spokesperson said in a statement today.
The accused had allegedly used the same as genuine and had also black marketed the essential commodities, it said.
CBI had on May one arrested nine accused persons in connection with the scam which took place between 2002 and 2010. Food grain worth Rs 35,000 crore, meant to be distributed among BPL people through the PDS, was allegedly diverted to the open market in the scam.
Of the nine persons arrested in connection with the scam earlier this month four were financiers, two middlemen and three former godown incharges, the statement said.
"It was alleged that one of the accused was found involved in purchasing BPL foodgrain & exporting the same to Bangladesh for Rs 2.90 crore. The middlemen & financiers & others had arranged BPL foodgrain through illegal means and black-marketed the same," the CBI said, adding further investigation in the case was continuing.
PTI
