Lucknow: Economic Offences Wing (EOW) on Wednesday arrested a former fair price shop dealer in the Jaunpur foodgrain scam linked to the implementation of the Sampoorna Gramin Rozgar Yojana in 2004-05, in which govt allegedly suffered a loss of about ₹4.03 lakh.The accused, Udaybhan Singh, was arrested around 11 am by a team of EOW Varanasi Sector from Jaunpur.Officials said the arrest was part of an ongoing drive to apprehend accused persons wanted in cases under investigation by EOW.According to investigators, Singh was serving as a fair price shop dealer at the time of the alleged irregularities. EOW alleged that foodgrains meant for labourers engaged under the rural employment scheme were shown as distributed to fictitious beneficiaries. Investigators said the distribution was carried out on the basis of fake muster rolls allegedly prepared by the then work in charge, instead of ensuring that genuine workers received their due entitlement.The case pertains to development works proposed in multiple villages of the Badlapur development block of Jaunpur during 2004 and 2005. These works included drain construction, kharanja roads, road-edge repairs, earthwork on link roads, construction of concrete roads and culverts.Under the scheme, labourers were to be paid wages partly in foodgrains, including rice, along with cash. EOW alleged that accused persons prepared forged records and did not distribute the allotted foodgrains and cash to actual workers, causing an estimated loss of ₹4,03,225 in 2004-05.The case is registered at the EOW police station in Varanasi under IPC Sections 409, 467, 468, 471, 477A, 120B and 34.
