‘Cooperative minister seek CBI probe into JAKFED Scam’

Srinagar: The Minister for Cooperatives & Ladakh Affairs, Sunday said that he has recommended a CBI Probe into the embezzlement of 300 crore, noticed by the House Committee of the J&K Legislative Council, in Jammu & Kashmir Cooperative Supply & Marketing Federation Limited (JAKFED).
“Though the case is currently being investigated by the vigilance organization, but I have written to the government to forward the case immediately to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for thorough probe,” Chering Dorjay told KNS over phone from Jammu.
He said that the Pillai commission which was constituted by the government has categorically said that the scam has surfaced in the JAKFED. Even the house committee in its report was of the opinion that the scam has been found. So to know the facts, I have communicated to the government to refer the case to CBI,” the minister said and added that the Chief Secretary has also been asked to take immediate action in this regard.
Sources said that the investigation conducted by various agencies in the case has still not been concluded to the logical ends. “The big giants, who are responsible for the scam, were creating hurdles into the investigation so that somehow they manage to move scot-free. Normally the investigations are time bound so that the culprits are punished under law of the land. But it seems that in this case nobody is ready to punish the culprits,” sources said.
Sources said that recently the meeting was convened in office chambers of the Chief Secretary to decide the action required on a report concluded by the agencies. “The meeting was attended by the vice chairman of JKFIED along his team of officers of the company. Various senior bureaucrats where also present in the meeting and the report was tabled before the committee headed by Chief Secretary,” sources maintained. Sources said that the report suggested that the final course of action needs to be taken to apprehend the culprits, responsible for this scam and also arrest the trend of malpractice in the organization.
The embezzlement of Rs 300 crore was detected by the House Committee of the J&K Legislative Council in JAKFED and the government has on record said that appropriate action would be initiated against the culprits.
The government had said that 21 employees were allegedly involved in the embezzlement and that the timely action on the House Committee report was taken by the department.
Sources said that, Chief Secretary was approached to take further action after observing necessary legal formalities.
Sources said that the House Committee report was forwarded to the Vigilance Organization on May 29, 2015 for intimating whether there were any similarities in the findings of the House Committee. “However the Vigilance Organization had said that there is similarity in respect of the allegations and part of the period mentioned in the House Committee report,” sources maintained.
“The auditors have also in the past pin pointed the irregularities during their course of audit but nothing concrete was done to set right the findings,” sources maintained.
It is to mention here that the State Government had ordered one man commission headed by K.B. Pillai (IAS) in Rupees 300 crore JAKFED scam wherein Pillai had established fake movement of fertilizer and food grains and recommended the termination of those involved in the scam.
A report of this Commission was also tabled in the State Legislative Assembly over which the elected representatives had many times raised hue and cry. (KNS)