HIGH COURT ORDERS STF TO HASTEN PROBE

PRAYAGRAJ : The Allahabad High Court has directed the Special Task Force(STF) to complete investigations regarding alleged misappropriation of funds in the distribution of fair price commodities by wrongly verifying Aadhar of beneficiaries in Uttar Pradesh.

The bench comprising chief justice Govind Mathur and justice Dr YK Srivastava while disposing of a petition filed by Sahkari Sasta Galla Vitran Union, Meerut directed Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Special Task Force Lucknow to complete the investigation of multi-crore scam.

The petitioner had filed a petition seeking court directions to STF to expedite the investigation.

Fair price cards in Uttar Pradesh have been linked with the Aadhar to keep a check on wrong distribution of fair-price commodities.

In this regard, the offices of the district food officer have been authorised for verification of Aadhar cards to ensure distribution of fair price commodities to entitled people.

In the petition it was alleged that in collusion with officers of the food supply department, the fair price licence holders used to wrongly verify Aadhar and misappropriated crores of government fund in the name of entitled person and used to sell commodities in the open market.

It was also alleged that as soon as the scam came to light, the state government ordered an enquiry and later by a subsequent order dated August 29, 2018, an investigation was handed over to the STF (Special Task Force).

Fair price shops are licensed to distribute essential commodities on subsidised rates to ration card holders under the targeted public distribution system.