Rice scam: CWC manager detained

Bargarh: The city police detained the local manager of Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC) here and started investigations after the Food Corporation of India (FCI) today filed an FIR in connection with large-scale rice irregularities in the city warehouse.

According to sources, FCI authorities were forced to file the police complaint with the local police after they did not get any reports on the missing 689.84 tonne of rice worth nearly Rs 1.72 crore stored in the warehouse since last November 18.

Meanwhile, two top FCI officials reached the spot and took stock of the situation. “We got to know about the shortage of rice which belongs to FCI in CWC’s Bargarh warehouse in November first week. We asked for a report on it but did not get any response, so we were forced to file the FIR,” said FCI manager Prabal Kumar Banarjee.

When contacted, inspector in-charge of the police station here Prakash Chandra Pal said, “Preliminary investigations have started and we will launch a joint verification (with FCI authorities) tomorrow.”