Jabalpur Paddy Procurement Mega-Scam: 3.53 Crore Fraud Exposed, FIR Filed

• A 3.53 crore rupee paddy procurement scam was uncovered at Shriji Warehouse in Majhauli tehsil, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh.
• No paddy was physically purchased, but 14,934 quintals were recorded on the e-procurement portal using fake entries for 174 farmers.
• An investigation team led by Joint Collector Rishabh Jain found significant discrepancies during physical verification, including empty sacks and lack of farmer codes.
• Center in-charge Ratnesh Bhatt and computer operator Aman Sen confessed and attempted to delete records; an FIR has been filed against them.
• While no government financial loss occurred as payment wasn't made, the scam highlights flaws in the procurement process and raises questions about middlemen.

Why It Matters: A major paddy procurement scam in Jabalpur exposed fake entries and collusion, leading to an FIR.