Rice Milling 'Scam': Former Chhattisgarh MARKFED MD Manoj Soni Arrested By ED | All About The Case
chhattisgarh rice milling ‘scam’: ex-markfed md manoj soni arrested by ed | all about the case
Former Chhattisgarh MARKFED MD Manoj Soni was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Chhattisgarh in connection with a money laundering case revolving around the alleged rice milling scam. Earlier, Soni was reportedly called for questioning in the case to the EOW office.
The ED had carried out searches on October 20 and 21 last year at the premises of ex-MD of MARKFED, Treasurer and Office bearers of Chhattisgarh Rice Millers Association, District Marketing Officers, and a few Rice Millers in Custom Rice Milling special incentive scam.
About the case:
“ED had initiated investigation on the basis of a Complaint filed by Income Tax Department under various sections of IT Act, 1961 and IPC, 1860 before the Hon’ble of CJM, Raipur wherein it was alleged that that the officer bearers of Chhattisgarh State Rice Millers Association colluded with officers of Chhattisgarh State Marketing Federation Ltd (MARKFED) and hatched a conspiracy to misuse the special incentive and earn Crores of bribe kickbacks,” the probe agency had said in a statement issued in October last year.
Till Kharif year 2021-22, a special incentive of Rs. 40/- per quintal of paddy was paid by the Govt. of Chhattisgarh to the rice millers for custom milling of paddy and subsequently, it was exorbitantly increased to Rs. 120/- per quintal of paddy later which was paid in two instalments of Rs. 60/- each.
“The office bearers of Chhattisgarh State Rice Millers Association in the leadership of its Treasurer, Roshan Chandrakar in connivance with Manoj Soni, MD, MARKFED started collecting kickbacks amount of Rs. 20/- per instalment for each quintal of paddy milled from the rice millers,” the ED had alleged.
The details of rice millers who have paid the cash amounts were sent by the district rice millers association to the concerned District Marketing Officer (DMO).
“The DMOs, upon receiving the bills of rice millers, cross checked them with the details received from concerned district rice millers association; this information was then passed on to the head office of MARKFED.,” it stated.
The bills of only those rice millers who have paid cash amount to the association were cleared by MD, MARKFED for payment.
The ED investigation revealed that after the increase in the special allowance from Rs 40 to Rs 120 quintal, payments were released worth Rs 500 Crore, generating kickbacks of Rs 175 Crore which were collected by Roshan Chandrakar with active assistance of MD MARKFED, for the benefit of ‘higher powers’.
During the search operations various incriminating documents, digital devices and unaccounted cash of Rs. 1.06 Crore were found and seized.