Raipur
The Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has filed a 40,000-page chargesheet in a Special Court in Jashpur in connection with a 21-year-old rice scam at the Chhattisgarh State Warehousing Corporation’s Kunkuri branch.
The case involves the misappropriation of 22,198.52 quintals of rice, causing a ₹2.5 crore loss to the state exchequer.
The EOW has charged former warehouse manager Sunil Kumar Nigam and transporter Vimal Kumar Garg alias Billu under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
Investigations revealed that Nigam, along with former Chhattisgarh State Civil Supplies Corporation warehouse manager Shiv Shankar Vaishnav and Garg, allegedly forged stock records to cover up the missing rice. Vaishnav has since died.
The General Administration Department ordered the probe following a reference from the Food Department. An initial inspection of the Kunkuri warehouse found a major discrepancy between the physical stock and register entries, with the shortage initially estimated at 26,626.42 quintals.
The EOW registered an FIR on September 30, 2005. The final investigation confirmed a shortage of 22,198.52 quintals of rice, resulting in a direct government loss of ₹2.5 crore.
Investigators also found Garg directly involved in the fraudulent transportation and distribution of 310.13 quintals of rice through 18 delivery orders.
The EOW submitted the prosecution documents before the Special Court under the Prevention of Corruption Act in Jashpur after gathering evidence against Nigam and Garg.
