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Three booked by CBI for fertiliser fraud

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cbi-logo-5New Delhi:  The CBI on Saturday filed a case against a former IFFCO official and two others for causing a loss of Rs.2.41 crore to the government exchequer by misusing a central government subsidy scheme for urea fertiliser.

A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team also carried out searches at the residences of the accused in six places in Thrissur in Kerala and seized several incriminating documents.

Gopala Krishnan, a former official of Indian Farmers Fertilisers Cooperative (IFFCO); Akhil T. Gopi, a former field officer in-charge (Trainee) of Kerala State Cooperative Marketing Federation; and C.G. Pauly, a transport contractor in Thrissur, were booked on charges of criminal conspiracy and cheating under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and the Prevention of Corruption Act.

“During April 2015 to January 2016, around 1,096 tonnes of urea was misused by the former field officer (Gopi),” the CBI’s press information officer R.K. Gaur told IANS.

“He (Gopi), in connivance with the former IFFCO officer (Krishnan) and the transport contractor raised bogus bills showing the supply of urea to 31 cooperative societies in Thrissur and other places in Kerala.

“However, the urea was actually supplied to some industries for illegal monetary benefits as the price of industrial urea was around Rs.27,000 per tonne.

“By using this modus operandi, the accused caused a loss of Rs.2.41 crore to the government exchequer,” the CBI official said.

Gaur said the chemicals and fertilisers ministry was giving subsidy of around Rs.22,000 on one tonne of urea.

“After subsidy, the farmers would get one tonne of urea for Rs.5,250. The objective of the central government giving subsidy is to help the farmers with an affordable price and to boost agricultural production.”

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Cheers and Cheers: Barzilla’s Joyful Ode to Inclusivity and Celebration

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The RG Marathon Championship Run 2023 in Goa was a testament to inclusivity. Initially resistant to including persons with disabilities, it eventually featured wheelchair and standing categories, thanks to advocates’ efforts. Participants showed exceptional determination, emphasizing unity in diversity. Despite challenging weather, they demonstrated the power of community support, highlighting the need for accessibility and inclusion in all state-level events in Goa.

Following the marathon, a gathering of differently-abled individuals, predominantly wheelchair users, convened for a celebratory lunch at Barzilla. The event, orchestrated by Mr. Shariq Khan and Mr. Zain Aftab, proprietors of Barzilla, honored the birthday of Sadaf Fatima, who also uses a wheelchair and is Mr. Shariq Khan’s wife.

 

The lunch featured esteemed guests including the Tourism Minister of Goa, MLA Rohan Khaunte of Porvorim, Social Welfare Minister Subhash Phal Desai, and the State Commissioner for Persons with Disability in Goa, Guruprasad Pawaskar. The event was impeccably hosted by Ms. Falak Fatima and Mr. Adarsh Parashar, offering activities such as Karaoke and Billiards. The youth of Goa exhibited their unwavering support for the community, making the party an unequivocal success.

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