The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has started a preliminary enquiry on a complaint by whistleblower IAS Ashok Khemka alleging irregularities in the supply of wheat seeds to Haryana Seed Development Corporation (HSDC) by NAFED and NCCF.
“CBI has started a preliminary enquiry to probe into the alleged irregularities in the purchase of wheat seeds in HSDC on the complaint of the then MD of HSDC. Khemka in his complaint had alleged that NCCF and NAFED supplied seeds at higher rates to HSDC causing loss to the exchequer,” said CBI spokesperson Kanchan Prasad in a statement.
A 1991-batch IAS officer, Khemka, who was posted as MD in HSDC from July 18, 2012 to March 4, 2013 had given a report to CBI seeking registration of a case against officials of National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation (NCCF) and National Agriculture Cooperative Marketing Federation (NAFED) for selling seeds at inflated prices to HSDC.
Ashok Khemka in his report had alleged that HSDC wanted to purchase nearly 10,000 tonnes of wheat seeds from private suppliers, in case cooperative agencies NCCF and NAFED did not have enough stocks with them. Though the said agencies had no seeds with them at that time, even then they offered to supply the seeds after which HSDC did not approach private suppliers, the complaint says.
These societies reportedly acquired untreated wheat seeds from middlemen, who got it from private companies and supplied them to HSDC at over Rs 2,000 per quintal whereas if the Corporation had purchased directly from private players it would have cost it Rs 1600 per quintal. The purchase of 10,000 tonnes of seeds, which was to be supplied to farmers on subsidiSed rates under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, at inflated prices resulted in a loss of Rs 5 crore to the exchequer, Khemka’s complaint had said.
The State Government had earlier chargsheeted Khemka for overstepping his jurisdiction in the cancellation of Robert Vadra and DlF land deal in 2012.