• NET Web Desk

In a major development, three social activists of the northeastern state of Meghalaya – Angela Rangad, Tarun Bhartiya and Agnes Kharshiing submitted evidences before the Independent Inquiry Commission, which has been constituted to investigate the alleged multi-crore rupees rice scam which shook the Meghalaya Government.

Headed by Justice (retd) Mool Chand Garg, the Commission virtually recorded the statements of these three social activists.

According to Shillong Times report, the trio is likely to file their affidavits before the commission soon.

However, the Commission is also expected to visit Assam for finding-out more facts related to the same.

The Assam Police recently unearthed the concerned scam by seizing one lakh bags of rice from a private godown in Boko of Kamrup district, Assam. Each bag contained 50 kgs of rice.

Meanwhile, a case was also registered by the police suo motu under various Sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Responding to the scam, which involved the Food Corporation of India (FCI), Shillong the Meghalaya Government constituted an Independent Inquiry Commission headed by Justice (retd) Garg of the Madhya Pradesh High Court (HC) to look into the matter.

However, the Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma asserted that “FCI scam has nothing to do with the public distribution system in the state”.

He also claimed that verbal reports he received indicated that the state received the rice for Public Distribution Scheme (PDS) under the National Food Security Act, 2013 for May & June in advance.

Its worthy to note that recently, the state government had imposed a temporary ban on the Continental Milkose Pvt Ltd. under the Supplementary Nutrition Programme (SNP) of the Social Welfare Department.

Due to the ban, the Assam Supplier is not allowed to supply fortified micronutrients and energy-dense fortified food to Meghalaya till a detailed report is received from the Assam Police.