FCI Godown Bribery Case Leads to Arrest of Owner and Weigher,Bribery Scandal Unveiled
ACB Detains FCI Godown Proprietor and Weigher in Bribery Case
21-08-2023 : The Anti-corruption Bureau (ACB) has reportedly apprehended the owner of an FCI godown and a weigher on charges of soliciting bribes in exchange for unloading a truck. The incident unfolded when a concerned individual lodged a formal complaint with the ACB, alleging that the officials of the FCI Godown in Chandpora, Budgam, were demanding bribes for the unloading of his truck carrying rice intended for the FCI.
According to the statement issued by the ACB, the complainant was instructed by the godown owner to deposit ₹1500 into his bank account, while the weigher demanded ₹3500 in bribes before permitting the unloading of the truck. However, the complainant chose to refrain from paying the bribes and instead approached the ACB in Srinagar, seeking legal intervention in accordance with the law.
Promptly responding to the complaint, the ACB registered a case (FIR No. 16/2023) under sections 7 and 7A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, at the ACB Srinagar Police Station. The ACB initiated an investigation into the matter and formed a trap team to gather evidence.
During the course of the investigation, the trap team successfully apprehended the weigher red-handed while he was demanding and receiving a bribe of ₹3500 from the complainant. The money was subsequently recovered from the accused at the scene. Additionally, it was revealed that the godown owner had instructed the truck driver to deposit ₹1500 into his bank account before issuing a receipt for the transported food-grain.
The individuals arrested in connection with this incident are identified as Ab Majeed Sheikh, the proprietor of Sheikh Suppliers and Contractors, and Tajamul Hassan Shah, the weigher. The investigation unveiled that several other drivers, who transport food-grain for the FCI, were also coerced into paying bribes in order to have their trucks unloaded in a timely manner. These drivers attested to being extorted at various FCI Godowns, particularly at Lethpora.
The ACB’s statement further revealed that Ab Majeed Sheikh, the godown owner, is implicated in a ₹30 crore fraud case involving J&K Bank. ACB has previously charged him in connection with this bank fraud.
While the investigation remains ongoing, the ACB is probing the involvement of other individuals associated with the FCI Godown in Chandpora. The bureau anticipates that more arrests may follow as the case unfolds.
