The departmental inquiry into the multi-crore paddy procurement scam in Karnal during last kharif season has found it to be a highly organised “ghost procurement” racket involving officials of the Haryana State Agricultural Marketing Board, millers, arhtiyas and others.
The investigation revealed massive irregularities in procurement, storage, transportation and verification, where stock shown in official records was allegedly missing on the ground. Besides, it found fake gate passes, forged stock entries, suspicious GPS records and paddy procurement existing only on paper, causing losses worth crores to the government.
The Director General, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department has dismissed inspectors Lokesh, Sandeep Sharma, Yashvir Singh and Sameer Vashisht and SI Ramphal.
Inspector Vashisht of the Karnal grain market was held jointly responsible for the loss. An inquiry conducted by District Food and Supplies Controller, Bhiwani, revealed that during physical verification in 2025, officials found a shortage of over 12,500 quintals of paddy at M/s Batan Foods Rice Mill. Vashisht failed to verify trucks before issuing gate passes and could not produce weighbridge slips. GPS records showed trucks travelling “zero kilometres”. Yashvir Singh was also dismissed after the official found irregularities in procurement and lifting operations linked to the mill.
Similar findings emerged against Lokesh of Nissing grain market. Sandeep Sharma of Jundla grain market was dismissed for violating norms.
