Probe begins into procurement scam

Bahanaga: After farmers alleged irregularities in paddy procurement at Kalyani Cooperative Society in Bahanaga block of Balasore, the Collector has ordered a probe into it.

The administration started an investigation Friday. Earlier, farmers had locked the office of the cooperative society and staged a dharna.

Officials of the Bhadrak-Balasore Cooperative Bank had tried to sort out the issue. The farmers relented after the officials extended the target of paddy procurement by 1600 quintals.

However, some farmers alleged that though they had not registered their names online for procurement, another farmer forged their land documents and managed to sell his paddy.

Three farmers who were defrauded in the matter of procurement had taken up the issue with Collector K Sudarshan Chakraborty February 1.

The Collector asked the deputy registrar of the Balasore Cooperative division to look into the issue.

Preliminary investigation was started Friday, but no documents were found from the society in this regard.

PNN