After Raxil, CBI may probe wheat seed scam
CHANDIGARH: Haryana government’s move to investigate purchase of Raxil fungicide by CBI may open the window for a fresh probe by the investigating agency into the wheat seed purchase scam of 2010. Just like the Raxil case, the alleged seed purchase scam was also exposed by senior IAS officer Ashok Khemka in 2013.
The CBI in 2013 had registered a preliminary enquiry (PE) in the seed case on the complaint of Khemka, but the investigation was facing roadblocks because of legal restraints on grounds of jurisdiction of the premier investigating agency.
But now the Centre, with the concurrence of Haryana government, has notified the entire state for investigation in the sale of Raxil fungicide in October 2010 and related offences committed.
When contacted, a CBI spokesperson confirmed that an FIR had been lodged in the Raxil case on August 21, adding that he would find out current status of the probe into the wheat seed purchase scam.
The Union government notification issued a day before the FIR mentioned that the probe would cover allegations regarding the alleged misappropriation of the government subsidies – including central subsidies meant for the benefit of farmers – by compulsory mandating the purchase and use of the fungicide Raxil 2% DS by wheat seed dealers/growers in 2010.
Raxil case pertains to alleged irregularities in the purchase of the fungicide with the Haryana agriculture minister Om Prakash Dhankar claiming a loss of Rs 80 crore to the state exchequer caused in its procurement during the previous Congress regime.
“The purchase of Raxil fungicide for wheat seed treatment for prevention of a disease ‘Karnal bunt’ was started in 2010-11 without necessary approval from the government bodies and continued till 2014,” Dhankar stated.
On the other hand, the alleged Rs 5 crore seed scam is related to the purchase of 1 lakh quintal wheat seeds by the Haryana Seed Development Corporation (HSDC) in 2010 at much higher rates.
“Using the self-created crisis arising out of mandatory packing of Raxil 2% DS 40 gram pouches in seed bags before certification, the director (agriculture) – who was also managing director of this corporation – purchased a total of one lakh quintals of wheat seeds in November, 2010 from private parties through National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation (90,000 quintals) and National Agriculture Cooperative Marketing Federation (10,000 quintals) at a high rate of Rs 2,050 per quintal when the retail rates of the specific seed varieties purchased ruled between Rs 1,600 and Rs 1,700 per quintal,” Khemka had informed the state government in a report submitted on February 21, 2013.
“The seeds purchased were sold to farmers at Rs 1,650 after adjusting government RKVY (Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana) subsidy of Rs 500 per quintal. Around Rs 5 crore are estimated to be misappropriated by middlemen in this scam,” he added.