Jaipur: The anti-corruption bureau (ACB) Thursday registered a case in an alleged Rs 2,000-crore scam linked to the state govt’s midday meal scheme during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the schools were shut.ACB officers said the case names 21 accused, including officials of the Rajasthan State Cooperative Consumer Federation Ltd (Confed), representatives of private firms and suppliers, on charges of criminal conspiracy, forgery, and misuse of govt funds.According to ACB, when schools were closed during the 19 pandemic, a decision was taken to supply combo packs containing pulses, oil, spices and other essentials through Confed under the state-run midday meal scheme to students.It was claimed that the material was supplied in accordance with FSSAI and Agmark standards, with doorstep delivery made to students across the state. Following complaints of large-scale irregularities and corruption in the scheme, ACB started a preliminary inquiry.ACB officers said the preliminary inquiry revealed that officials associated with the scheme along with Confed officials conspired to change the rules. As a result, eligible and qualified firms were excluded from the tender process, and tenders were awarded to favoured firms. These firms allegedly further sublet the work to other entities, through which an organised network of fake suppliers and transporters was created.The investigation also found that in several cases, fake bills were submitted at inflated rates without any actual purchase or supply of goods, and govt payments obtained on their basis. A financial loss of about Rs 2,000 crore was estimated to have been caused to the state exchequer, ACB said.Based on the findings, an FIR was registered against Confed officials, central warehouse staff, and private individuals and firms involved. The accused include assistant accounts officer Sanwatram; managers Rajendra, Lokesh Kumar Bapna, Yogendra Sharma and Rajendra Singh Shekhawat; assistant manager Pratibha Saini; godown keeper Ramdhan Bairwa; supervisor Dinesh Kumar Sharma; regional and deputy managers from other warehouses; and several private individuals and supplier firms, including Tirupati Suppliers, Jagrut Enterprises, MT Enterprises, and Sai Trading.In Sept 2022, the income tax department had also conducted raids in Rajasthan, including at the premises linked to junior Rajasthan home minister Rajendra Yadav, though it was not clear whether ACB was probing the same case.However, in March last year, school education minister Madan Dilawar claimed irregularities in the midday meal scheme during the previous govt’s tenure. He said that during the pandemic, instead of transferring funds to parents’ accounts, authorities chose to distribute food materials.
