Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) on Sunday arrested Amritsar District Food and Civil Supplies Controller (DFSC) AP Singh, who had duped the state exchequer of Rs 40 crore in connivance with other officials and Veeru Mal Mulakh Raj Rice mill owner.

Economic Offences Wing (EOW), VB, and Special Investigation Team (SIT) nabbed the accused DFSC from Patiala who was absconding and evading arrest, said the Bureau’s spokesperson.

Spokesperson informed that FIR under sections 406, 409, 420, 467, 468, 471, 120-B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and 13(2) read with 13(1) (d) of Prevention of Corruption Act had already been registered at Police Station Jandiala Guru, Amritsar district, and investigation of this case was taken over by the VB from district police.

Some co-accused in this paddy scam including District Food and Civil Supplies Officer Raminder Singh Bath and Assistant Food and Civil Supplies Officer Vipan Sharma and Food Inspector Gurjinder Singh have already been arrested by the Bureau, and some are still absconding, added the spokesperson.

It was further informed that the accused DFSC entered into a criminal conspiracy with some departmental officials and Veeru Mal Mulakh Raj rice mill owner and “by abusing his official position, caused huge loss to the state government”.

Spokesperson added that accused Veeru Mal Mulakh Raj Rice Mill owner obtained a loan of approximately Rs 200 crores from the Punjab National Bank  against government paddy and cheated PNB to the tune Rs 200 crore and cheated Food and Civil Supplies Department to the tune of Rs 40 crore approximately in connivance with the accused officers.

The investigation by the VB, so far, has brought forth incriminating evidence against the suspects who failed to perform their duties. A huge quantity of government paddy worth crores of rupees was found misappropriated from the Veeru Mal Mulakh Raj Rice Mill in Jandiala, allegedly by its owner.

Spokesperson said that the accused DFSC would be produced before the court for getting remand to investigate the modus operandi and roles played by the accused while committing this scam.