CBI busts 'hafta' racket of Tamil Nadu FCI bhais

Monthly collection of bribe is not the exclusive prerogative of the underworld and police, the Food Corporation of India (FCI) is equally adept at it. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered cases against the general manager (GM) and deputy general manager (DGM) of FCI, Chennai, after catching the GM with his “monthly collection” on the table.

A total of eight people, including six area managers of FCI in Tamil Nadu, have been booked by the CBI in what appears to be another FCI mega scam. Interestingly, four of the accused are middle-aged heart patients.

“The GM [T Jaikumar] and DGM [Durai Raj] are both heart patients. That’s why we have not arrested them yet. The GM had to be shifted to an intensive care unit [ICU] after we raided his office and residential premises,” a senior CBI official said.

So, the CBI plans to question the relatively-younger and healthier accused, before turning its focus on others.

The FCI area managers booked by the CBI are CS Kumar (Chennai), Soundiram (Vellore), Vellimalayan (Coimbatore), Panneerselvam (Thanjavur), Chandramohandas (Cuddalore) and Jagannathan (Tuticorin).

An official of the investigating agency said the GM underwent a bypass surgery only last month and was in ICU. His deputy, who used to collect money from the area managers, is also said to be ailing.

Sources said FCI sought details of the case from the CBI and suspended the accused officials soon after receiving them.

A CBI spokesperson in Delhi said: “All six area managers admitted to having paid regular illegal gratification to the GM and the DGM to ensure smooth conduct of their offices, and to avoid frequent transfers and harassment.”

The CBI registered cases against the eight following information that huge amounts of illegal gratification was being received by the GM at the FCI’s monthly meetings.
“The DGM used to coordinate the collection of money from the area managers, who used to deliver the amount in neatly-packed envelopes on the table of the GM at monthly meetings,” a senior CBI official said.

The CBI recovered Rs1 lakh from the GM’s desk on September 19, before registering a case against him.

“In subsequent searches conducted at the residential premises of the DGM, incriminating documents relating to the case as well as to huge properties amassed by him were unearthed. Rs49,000 packed in five envelopes was also recovered,” a CBI official said.

The CBI suspects that the area managers, in connivance with the GM and the DGM, were diverting food from government warehouses to private parties showing it as theft. “Investigations are on. At the moment, we can’t question them because they are ailing,” a senior CBI official said.

In July 2009, the CBI had arrested a technical assistant of FCI, Jabalpur, and others for swindling nearly Rs1 crore meant for wheat purchases. It was alleged that the accused showed a purchase of 3,76,295 quintals when the actual figure was 3,66,964 quintals.

In December 2007, the CBI had found that a Chandigarh FCI manager had huge assets. Investigations revealed that apart from three houses he jointly owned with his wife and other relatives, the manager owned a shop-cum-flat in Panchkula. Searches also unearthed 13 bank accounts in his and family members’ names.