CBI should probe Delhi Food Minister Sirsa’s role in rice scam: AAP

New Delhi, The A on Tuesday claimed that an FIR filed by the CBI into the alleged irregularities in subsidised rice allocation in the capital mentions Delhi Food and Supplies Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, and demanded the agency investigate his role in the "scam".

A Delhi president Saurabh Bharadwaj claimed that according to the CBI FIR, officials in Sirsa's department acted after discussing with the minister.

"The CBI has now registered an FIR in what we were alleging for so many days. The FIR says that the NERAMAC clearly said that rice was supposed to be distributed among daily wage workers and the poor who don't have ration cards. Sirsa is the minister for food and supplies, and we want the CBI to investigate his role," Bharadwaj told a presser.

Last month, Sirsa had denied the allegations of A and threatened legal action against Bharadwaj. The minister gave the A leaders 24 hours to withdraw their allegations and issue a public apology, "or face legal proceedings".

On August 31, the CBI registered an FIR into the alleged irregularities by the Food Corporation of India in allocating subsidised rice meant for poor labourers to the North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation , from where it was "diverted" to traders for a profit.

"In a letter written by the NERAMAC, it was specifically mentioned that the rice was meant for daily wage labourers. It also shows that the food and supplies department did not just forward a letter to the FCI, but issued a proper no-objection certificate for subsidised rice to be distributed among the poor, which was later given to a Haryana-based businessman against a commission," Bharadwaj alleged.

Bharadwaj also said that he, along with other party workers, will meet Delhi Lieutenant Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu to discuss the matter and other "scams".

Naming senior officials of the FCI and NERAMAC, the CBI has alleged a series of irregularities, including allocation in violation of policy, pressure on officials, diversion of rice to traders and preparation of false records to show distribution to the public, resulting in losses of over ₹28 crore to the FCI.

The CBI has alleged that an additional general manager of the NERAMAC, Guwahati, vide a letter dated January 7, requested the "Minister , Government of NCT Delhi" for allocation of 31,000 MT of rice per week under the category "sale of rice without participation in e-auction" under the Open Market Sale Scheme for 2025-26.

This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.