CBI registers PE into Khemka’s claims on HSDC seed scam

NEW DELHI, Oct 18:
The Central Bureau of Investigation today registered a Preliminary Enquiry (PE) on the complaint of Haryana IAS officer Ashok Khemka into the alleged wheat seed scam in Haryana Seed Development Corporation (HSDC).
The CBI move has come a day after reports said the Haryana Government was preparing a second charge sheet against the whistleblower IAS officer for alleged low sale of wheat seeds during his tenure in HSDC as its Managing Director from October 15, 2012 to April 4, 2013.
“CBI has registered a PE to probe into the alleged irregularity in the purchase of wheat seeds in HSDC on the complaint of the then MD of HSDC,” CBI spokesperson Kanchan Prasad said.
She said Mr Khemka in his complaint sent to the CBI in March this year had alleged that National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation (NCCF) and National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation (NAFED) supplied seeds at higher rates to HSDC causing a loss to the exchequer.
The sources said a month before his transfer from HSDC, Mr Khemka had sent a complaint to the CBI seeking registration of a criminal case against officials of NCCF and NAFED.
In his letter he had alleged that NCCF and NAFED had supplied seeds at higher rates to HSDC, causing a loss of Rs five crore to the state exchequer.
The alleged scam involved purchase of hundreds of tonnes wheat seeds to distribute to the farmers in 2010. (PTI)