ED attaches Naland's Pawapuri Rice Mill's assets in fraud case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday attached movable and immovable properties valued at Rs 4.21 Crores of Nalanda's Pawapuri Rice Mills on the charges of involvement in fraud in relation to milling of rice at the Bihar State Food and Civil Supplies Corporation (BSFCSC).

The investigation was initiated on the basis of a complaint filed by the BSFCSC against the proprietor of the mill, Dinesh Prasad Gupta.

The FIR was registered under section 406,407,409 and 420 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for defalcation of paddy and loss to the exchequer.

The mill was supposed to return 68 percent of the rice against the paddy received by them from BSFCSC for milling.

As per the FIR, the company did not return 75,293 Quintal of Rice which caused a loss to the extent of Rs 10.15 crores to the government exchequers.

During the investigation, it was revealed that Dinesh Prasad Gupta, his brothers Binesh Prasad Gupta, Manoj Kumar and his father Shri Ramchandra Sao were also partners in the said firm.

The investigation also unveiled that huge amount cash was deposited during the financial year 2012-13 and 2013-14 in the firm's bank accounts, which are now closed.

The agreement was executed between the firm and BSFSC in Dec 2011.

During the investigation by the ED Dinesh Prasad Gupta and Binesh Prasad Gupta failed to produce bank book, cash book, party-wise ledgers and other documents of the firm.

Further investigation is underway.