Jaipur News: The Anti-Corruption Bureau has uncovered a massive scam in Rajasthan’s mid day meal scheme. Investigators say the fraud occurred during the Covid-19 period when schools remained closed. Children were supposed to receive ration kits instead of cooked meals.
The state planned home delivery of dal, oil, and spices through combo packs. ACB found that CONFED officials manipulated tender conditions. The changes blocked genuine bidders and favored selected private firms. Officials allegedly cleared inflated bills without actual supply of materials.
In several cases, suppliers did not deliver ration at all. Yet payments were released at higher rates. Some firms illegally subcontracted work to smaller entities. This created a large corruption network across departments and vendors.
The ACB has registered an FIR against 21 accused. The list includes senior CONFED officials and private contractors. Named officials include assistant accounts officer Sanwataram and managers Rajendra and Lokesh Kumar Bapna. Others include Pratibha Saini, Yogendra Sharma, and Rajendra Singh Shekhawat.
Private firms such as Tirupati Suppliers, Jagrit Enterprises, and Sai Trading also face charges. Investigators say substandard material violated AGMARK and FSSAI norms. The scam caused an estimated loss of ₹2,000 crore to the state exchequer.
Further arrests and asset seizures may follow.
