UP: 3 held for 5.13 cr scam in Food, Supply Dept

Lucknow, June 17: Three persons were arrested in the Uttar Pradesh capital this morning for the Rs 5.13 crore scam in the Food and Supply Department in Basti district.

According to the police, Rakesh Kumar Mishra alias Laddu, Ramchat Tiwari and Rajendra Pratap Singh were nabbed on a tip-off near Badshahnagar Railway Station in Mahanagar area.

On being frisked, Rs 3.46 lakh were recovered from their possession.

On May 22, the Department's accounts officer Jagropan had lodged an FIR at Kotwali police station, Basti, against Anil Kumar Gupta, proprietor of Om Traders, his aides and other for the over 5.13 scam.

Mr Gupta, his associates Ravi Pandey, Virendra Kumar, Ram Prakash and others were charged with withrawing the amount from a Union Bank branch in Basti through fake cheques.

On June eight, police had arrested four other accused in Basti.

Vipin Pathak, who is also one of the accused, had already been caught and is presently in jail.

The Department's accounts officer Jagropan and two clerks had been suspended recently for dereliction of duty.

The case is being investigated by ASP Ashok Kumar and DSP Ashutosh Shukla.

UNI