TNCSC contractor duped of Rs 65L in sooji procurement for relief kit

CHENNAI: A city-based contractor of Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC) was allegedly cheated of Rs 65 lakh by a Kanpur-based firm after promising to deliver 500 tonnes of sooji in one kg packets and 300 tonnes of sugar in 500 gram packets.

Mookambigai Enterprises in Royapettah, which supplies various food products to the Co-Operative Stores across the State, had recently bagged the contract of supplying grocery kits containing 13 food items to be distributed as part of COVID relief to all ration card holders in the State.

The firm sub-contracted it to Ganga Jamuna Commerce Pvt Ltd in Kanpur and paid an advance of Rs 65 lakh for the supply of five lakh one kg packets sooji and 3 lakh 500gms sugar packets.

After the advance amount was paid in June to different bank accounts as directed by the firm's manager, Johnson David, the suppliers claimed within a week that three trucks carrying 25 tonnes of sooji each were on their way to Tamil Nadu. However, no invoice or shipment details were shared by the company.

However, on June 17, Johnson David told the victims that they would not be able to supply materials and assured to return the advance money. But the two cheques he issued for Rs 19 lakh were dishonoured, and making matters worse, the victim's bank account was blocked by Kanpur cybercell police for transacting with the fraudulent bank account.

After meeting Satish Taj Patil, the Deputy Commissioner for Kanpur Nagar, Vamsi Krishna Reddy, CEO of Mookambigai Enterprises, lodged a complaint at Chennai police Commissionerate as per the official's directions. The Entrustment Document Fraud wing part of the Central Crime Branch has registered a case and taken it up for investigation.

The Kanpur-based firm had promised to deliver 500 tonnes of sooji in one kg packets and 300 tonnes of sugar in 500 gram packets