By IANS,
Chandigarh : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has been given sanction to prosecute Food Corporation of India (FCI)’s former Chandigarh regional manager K.Siva Prasad for criminal conspiracy, officials said Thursday.
“Three cases of criminal conspiracy were registered against Prasad and some other FCI officials and private rice millers of different towns of Punjab. He had used his official position to procure and supply sub-standard rice in the market,” a CBI spokesman said.
Prasad is an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of 1993 batch and belongs to the Punjab cadre.
The CBI’s anti-corruption branch had registered three cases in Jan 2006 against Prasad after conducting surprise checks during September and October 2005 at various procurement centres in Sangrur, Faridkot, Bathinda and Ferozepur districts of Punjab.
“During surprise checks, out of the 451 samples, only 13 samples were found to be within prescribed specifications. Remaining 97 per cent samples failed to meet the specification,” the spokesman said.
He said the investigation, so far, has established the involvement of Prasad in the scam and the basis of facts presented by them, the central government’s department of personnel and training has granted sanction to prosecute Prasad.
Three charge sheets have been filed in the court of CBI special judge in Patiala against Prasad and others. He has been summoned by the court Feb 2.