In what could be termed as the first casualty of multi-crore PDS scam, since Congress-led government came to power in Chhattisgarh, DGP Mukesh Gupta and Superintendent of Police (SP) Sukma, Rajnesh Singh were suspended on Saturday.
According to official information, they have been suspended in accordance with provisions made under Section 3(1) of All India Services (discipline and appeal) rules 1969. Deputy Secretary State Home Department, Lena Kamlesh Mandavi has forwarded the suspension order to the office of Governor.
Notably, FIR against both the officers was registered on Thursday after they were allegedly found involved in illegal phone tapping.
Mukesh Gupta the 1988 batch IPS officer was among the trusted courtiers of former Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh. During the previous (BJP) regime, Gupta headed the Economic Offence Wing (EOW) while the agency was handed over investigation of the PDS scam. Gupta and Singh had allegedly tapped phones without proper permission while investigating the case.
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It may be mentioned that the PDS scam in Chhattisgarh which had grabbed media hype surfaced during the BJP regime in 2015. Sub-standard food grains were pumped into the public distribution system and huge amount of money was embezzled. According, to Congress party who has alleged direct involvement of former Chief Minister Dr Raman Singh in the scam, about Rs 3,600 crore were swindled in the scam. Two IAS officers with state Food Civil Supplies department were also booked in connection with this case.
Both officers have been booked under Sections 166, 166 A(b) 167, (Public servant disobeying law, with intent to cause injury to any person), 193 (false evidence), 201 (Causing disappearance of evidence of offence, or giving false information to screen offender), 466 (Forgery of record of Court or of public register,), 471 (Using as genuine a forged) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) of Indian Penal Code (IPC). They have also been booked under with Section 25, 26 and 5(2) of Indian Telegraph Act.
