In a major breakthrough in the multi-crore paddy procurement scam of the 2025-26 season, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) has arrested four high-ranking officials, including a former District Food Supplies Controller (DFSC) and three market committee secretaries. The arrests mark a significant escalation in the probe into “ghost procurement,” where official records were allegedly manipulated to show thousands of quintals of paddy that never physically reached the mandis.
The Accused Officials The SIT, led by Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Kaanchi Singhal, identified the arrested officials as:
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Anil Kumar: Former District Food Supplies Controller (DFSC), Karnal. He was taken into custody on a production warrant from Gurugram, where he was already under arrest in a separate corruption case.
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Asha Rani: Former Secretary of the Karnal Market Committee (currently suspended).
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Deepak Suhag: Secretary of the Market Committee, Jundla.
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Krishan Dhankar: Secretary of the Market Committee, Assandh.
The Modus Operandi Investigators reveal that the accused officials allegedly colluded with millers and arhtiyas (commission agents) to issue fraudulent gate passes. These bogus entries created a paper trail for paddy procurement that existed only on paper. By inflating these figures, the accused facilitated illegal payments from the state exchequer for non-existent stock, while also allowing millers to “adjust” cheap rice sourced from other states into the official Punjab/Haryana procurement pool.
Legal and Financial Impact * Production Warrant: Anil Kumar is specifically accused of taking illegal commissions related to procurement at the Taraori grain market.
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Fake Gate Passes: Asha Rani and Deepak Suhag were arrested in connection with an FIR registered at the Sadar Police Station on October 30, while Krishan Dhankar was held regarding a separate FIR from November 11.
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The Scope: So far, six FIRs have been registered in Karnal alone. The scam is estimated to have caused losses worth several crores.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Narender Bijarniya emphasized that the investigation is expanding to dismantle the entire network. “This is a betrayal of public trust. No one, regardless of their rank or influence, will be spared,” the SP stated. With these latest arrests, the total number of individuals apprehended in the Karnal paddy scam—including food inspectors, HAFED managers, and millers—has surpassed fifteen.
