Govt wheat worth nearly Rs 60 lakh missing from two procurement centres in UP's Balrampur

Wheat worth nearly Rs 60 lakh was found missing from two government procurement centres in Uttar Pradesh's Balrampur district, news agency PTI reported on Sunday.

According to the report, the missing stock totals 228.764 metric tonnes and was found during surprise inspections at two procurement centres of B-PACS Tulsipur on September 11.

A joint team comprising District Food and Marketing Officer Govind Kumar Upadhyay, Assistant Commissioner (Cooperation) Ajay Kumar Maurya, and Additional District Cooperative Officer Devendra Pratap Agrahari carried out the inspections.

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Stock Missing From Both Centres

At one centre, records showed that 420.87 metric tonnes of wheat had been procured during 2026-27. Of this, 353.759 metric tonnes had been delivered to the Food Corporation of India (FCI).

The remaining 67.111 metric tonnes was supposed to be stored in the godown. However, the inspection team was not provided the keys. The godown appeared empty when viewed through its windows, police told the news agency.

At the second centre, records showed procurement of 322.600 metric tonnes of wheat, of which 160.947 metric tonnes had been delivered to the FCI.

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The remaining 161.653 metric tonnes was supposed to be in the godown, but no physical stock was found Based on the minimum support price of Rs 2,605 per quintal, the missing wheat was valued at around Rs 60 lakh.

Superintendent of Police Martand Prakash Singh said an FIR was registered at Tulsipur police station on a complaint by PCF district manager Ashwani Shukla.

The case was registered against in-charge secretary Prakash Singh and centre in-charge Mahendra Mani Tiwari under relevant sections, the SP said.

Prakash Singh has been arrested.