Karnal/Sonipat: Fraud of value worth over Rs 200 crore has been detected in rice mills in Karnal district caused heavy revenue loss to Haryana state government. Sources reveal that few rice millers in Karnal district allegedly sold high quality rice either in open market or exported to Arab countries at higher rates after milling paddy crop supplied by Haryana state government and in lieu supplied lower quality rice procured from Utter Pradesh and Bihar at much lesser rates to the government thus playing fraud with the state government for amount worth crores of rupees.
According to information there are nearly more than 300 rice mills in Karnal district alone involved in milling paddy crop supplied by the government. Information also reveals that large numbers of rice millers are involved in selling PR-14 quality rice prepared from paddy as ‘cella’ rice on higher prices in open market and also saving 4% market fee exempted by the government on paddy crop supplied to rice millers by the state government for preparing rice thus causing heavy revenue loss to the government towards market fee also.
CM Flying Squad during month October this year conducted several raids on rice mills in Karnal district and also registered FIRs against five rice millers allegedly involved in fraud with the government since paddy stocks were found missing during physical verification during raids, which were identified as KM Foods, Budh Ram Foods, Anand Foods situated at Jundla and BG Overseas and Shriram Rice Mill situated at Asandh at Sadar police station Karnal. According to information, physical stock verification of paddy and rice stocks in both rice mills at Asandh is still going on. However, managing partner of all rice mills at Jundla was also arrested by the police.
A few days ago Excise & Taxation Department Haryana had taken action against a L-13 liquor contractor at Murthal in Sonipat district allegedly sold five lakh cases country made liquor of value worth Rs 18 crore and fraud exposed when such a large number of liquor cases were found short in the godown since the officers of the department at Sonipat including DETC, ADETC and Excise Inspector alleged involved in conspiracy had issued permits to the contractor violating rules were suspended by higher authorities in Excise & Taxation Department Chandigarh with immediate effect, also imposed Rs 18 lakh fine on liquor contractor and cancelled his license.
Information reveals that during investigation after this incident lakhs of liquor cases in nearly a dozen districts in Haryana state have been found missing in L-1 and L-13 liquor godowns in which the contractors have no record and breach of trust cases are being registered against these liquor contractors by the State Excise & Taxation Department in the state. According to information the department had recovered amount worth Rs 82.94 crore fine from the liquor contractors during year 2021-22, whereas has already recovered amount worth Rs 48 crore towards fine so far during current year. According to rules, L-1 and L-13 liquor contractors lift liquor stocks from the distillery as per quota fixed by the department and in case of additional requirement obtain excess liquor permit from the office of DETC in the district after depositing the tax whereas the contractors lifted the stocks on the basis of permits keeping no record of stocks.
According to Collector, State Excise & Taxation Department Ashutosh Rajan licenses are issued to the contractors for the year against bank guarantee or mortgage of property and in case the contractor fails to deposit the amount of tax or fine imposed on them the department recovers the same. Rajan told that that as many as 156 breach of trust cases against liquor contractors in the state have been received, of these 56 cases were found genuine and their license were cancelled, godown sealed and amount worth Rs 48 crore towards fine on them has been collected. He disclosed that during year 2021-22 total number of 254 breach of trust cases were registered against liquor contractors and recovery of amount worth Rs 82.94 crore towards fine has been recovered from them.
Meanwhile, officers of Excise & Taxation Department in the state has intensified action against liquor contractors and taken action against four another liquor contractors in Sonipat district allegedly sold nearly 7.5 lakh liquor cases lifted from the godowns more than quota fixed by the government and during physical verification stocks of liquor were found missing from their godowns and investigation revealed that these contractors had lifted these liquor cases from the godown without having permit from the department as well as depositing tax and illegally sold liquor without keeping record. Neel Ratan DETC Sonipat told that breach cases against these four liquor contractors has been forwarded to head office Chandigarh to take action and impose fine on them and cancel their licenses for alleged fraud. He told that L-13 liquor contractor at Murthal Jaikishen & Company against whom action was taken few days ago for recovery of five lakh cases liquor of value nearly Rs 18 crore lifted by them from the godown at Murthal without permit and Rs 18 crore fine imposed on the contractor has deposited Rs 12 crore so far. DETC said, during physical verification of stock in the godowns of four liquor contractors nearly 2.40 lakh cases have been found short in the godown of L-13 liquor contractor Messrs Sunder Singh already sealed and physical verification nin another three liquor godowns is yet going on.
