In a decisive crackdown on corruption, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested two Food Corporation of India (FCI) officials red-handed while accepting bribes at the Chandausi depot in Sambhal district, Uttar Pradesh. The operation unfolded on Wednesday following a detailed complaint from a private firm owner, exposing a deep-rooted nexus in grain storage operations.
The complainant had already deposited 16 stacks of rice at the FCI Babrala depot and planned to add eight more. However, the depot in-charge demanded Rs 50,000 illegally to approve the initial stacks and an additional Rs 15,000 per stack for the remaining ones. Investigations revealed the manager was equally complicit in this extortion scheme, exploiting the firm’s desperation to secure clearances.
CBI laid a trap and caught both officials accepting the first installment of Rs 30,000 from the complainant. This bribe was specifically for stack passing and facilitating future transactions. Post-arrest, raids were conducted at their premises, yielding crucial documents and evidence that could unravel further misconduct.
Such bribery scandals are not isolated in FCI depots, where private millers and transporters routinely face demands for quality checks, stack approvals, and other favors. The agency emphasized this action aligns with its zero-tolerance policy against corruption, sending a strong message to errant public servants.
FCI has a notorious history of graft cases, from syndicate-driven truck bribes in Punjab and Haryana to recent arrests in Odisha and Maharashtra. Officials believe more individuals may be involved, with ongoing searches and interrogations promising deeper revelations. The duo has been remanded to judicial custody as the probe intensifies.