Rice allocation ‘scam’: AAP seeks CBI probe against Manjinder Singh Sirsa

After the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed an FIR to probe alleged irregularities worth Rs 28 crore in the allocation of rice in the Capital, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday demanded that the agency also probe the role of Delhi Food and Supplies Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa in the alleged scam.

Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, AAP Delhi state president Saurabh Bharadwaj alleged that ration meant for the poorest people of Delhi and migrant labourers had been stolen. PTI quoted Bharadwaj as saying, "In a letter written by the North Eastern Regional Agricultural Marketing Corporation (NERAMAC), it was specifically mentioned that the rice was meant for daily wage labourers.

It also shows that the food and supplies department did not just forward a letter to the Food Corporation of India (FCI), but issued a proper no-objection certificate for subsidised rice to be distributed among the poor, which was later given to a Haryana-based businessman against a commission." Last month, AAP had alleged that the BJP government in Delhi had orchestrated a "rice scam" involving subsidised foodgrain meant for the poor.

However, Sirsa had dismissed the allegations as false and malicious. "Until now, I was talking about this (the scam), but now the CBI FIR is also saying the same thing. The FIR specifically mentions Delhi Food and Civil Supplies Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa," he said.

He further demanded that the CBI question Sirsa about the NERAMAC officials who visited the Delhi Secretariat, as well as the people the NERAMAC representatives had met there. "A few days ago, the AAP had said that the rice sent by the FCI for the poor people of Delhi was not distributed even by a single kilogram in Delhi.

This rice was not 31,000 metric tonnes, but even more than that. In reality, 50,645 metric tonnes of rice has been looted," he said. Meanwhile, the party delegation also met Lieutenant Governor (L-G) Taranjit Singh Sandhu, seeking a probe by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and Vigilance Department into the alleged bicycle and health scams involving the ruling government.

"Since the ACB and Vigilance fall under the LG's jurisdiction, he will have the matters we have raised fact-checked. If he finds anything wrong, he will have an FIR registered. That was our only request to him. We also informed the LG about the rice scam and demanded that BJP Minister Sirsa should also be investigated in the matter, because his name is also coming up in the case," he said.

The Indian Express has reached out to Sirsa for a comment.