The Rajasthan Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has unearthed a massive financial scandal estimated at a staggering Rs 2,000 crore, linked to the supply of food grains to school children under the Mid-Day Meal Scheme during the Covid-19 pandemic. The bureau has registered a formal First Information Report (FIR) and booked 21 individuals, including government officials and private suppliers, for their alleged involvement in systematic corruption and fraud.
The Core of the Scam: Manipulation of Pandemic Relief
According to ACB officials, the scam revolved around the distribution of essential food items to students when schools were closed due to the Covid-19 lockdowns. To ensure children continued receiving nutrition, the state government, through the Rajasthan State Co-operative Consumers’ Federation Limited (CONFED), supplied combo packs containing pulses, oil, spices, and other staples. These packs, meant to be delivered to the doorsteps of schools across Rajasthan, were required to meet FSSAI and Agmark quality standards.
However, the ACB received numerous complaints about large-scale irregularities, prompting a detailed probe. The preliminary investigation points to a deep-rooted conspiracy between officials managing the Mid-Day Meal scheme and those within CONFED.
Modus Operandi: Fake Suppliers and Inflated Invoices
The ACB's findings reveal a calculated scheme to defraud the state exchequer. The investigators allege that the accused colluded to manipulate tender rules, deliberately excluding eligible and qualified firms from the bidding process. Instead, contracts were awarded to pre-selected, favoured companies.
These companies then further sublet the contracts illegally to other entities, creating an organised network of fake suppliers and transporters. The probe found that in numerous instances, fake invoices were generated at highly inflated rates for goods that were never actually purchased or supplied. Government payments were then fraudulently claimed and processed based on these fabricated documents.
Who Are the Accused?
The FIR names a range of individuals from CONFED's hierarchy and private suppliers. Key CONFED officials booked include Sanvatram (Assistant Accounts Officer), Rajendra (Manager, Civil Supplies), Lokesh Kumar Bapna (Manager, Civil Supplies), Pratibha Saini (Assistant Manager), and Yogendra Sharma (Manager, Projects). Other CONFED employees from the Central Store, such as Shailesh Saxena and B C Joshi, are also implicated.
On the private supplier side, entities like Messrs Tirupati Suppliers, Messrs Jagrut Enterprises, Messrs MT Enterprises, and Messrs Sai Trading have been named. Individuals including Kanwaljit Singh Ranawat, Madhur Yadav, and Satish Mulchand Vyas are among those accused in the FIR.
Ongoing Investigation and Next Steps
ACB authorities have stated that a "thorough" investigation is currently underway. The focus is on tracing the complex web of financial transactions, examining forged documents, and uncovering the full extent of the government fund misuse. "Collection of evidence, review of records, and other necessary investigative procedures are ongoing," ACB officials confirmed, adding that strict legal action will be taken against all the guilty parties.
The bureau estimates that the elaborate network of fraud, forgery, and collusion has caused a serious financial loss of approximately Rs 2,000 crore to the state treasury. This case highlights critical vulnerabilities in the procurement and distribution system for essential welfare schemes, especially during emergency periods like the pandemic.
