JAIPUR: Rajasthan’s anticorruption bureau (ACB) Thursday registered a case in an alleged Rs 2,000-crore scam linked to state govt’s midday meal scheme during the Covid-19 pandemic.ACB officers said the FIR names 21 accused, including officials of Rajasthan State Cooperative Consumer Federation Ltd (Confed), representatives of private firms and suppliers, who have been booked on charges of criminal conspiracy, forgery and misuse of govt funds.According to ACB, when schools were closed during the pandemic, a decision was taken that packs containing pulses, oil, spices and other essentials would be supplied through Confed under the midday meal scheme. The material was to be supplied in accordance with FSSAI and Agmark standards, with doorstep delivery to students across the state.Following complaints of large-scale irregularities in 2020-21, ACB registered a preliminary inquiry. Officers said it revealed officials conspired to rig the tender process by tweaking the eligibility norms. As a result, qualified firms were kept out of the bidding process, ensuring contracts were cornered by favoured companies. These firms allegedly further sublet the work to shell entities, creating a fake supply chain of non-existent suppliers and transporters, with little or no actual procurement or delivery.The investigation also found that in several cases, fake bills were generated and submitted without any actual purchase or supply, and govt payments obtained on the basis of bogus and inflated invoicing. In many cases, it is suspected substandard materials were supplied, but falsely certified as meeting prescribed quality and safety norms.A financial loss of about Rs 2,000 crore was estimated to have been caused to the state exchequer, ACB said. Based on the findings, an FIR was registered against Confed officials, central warehouse staff, private individuals and firms involved.
