Despite HC order, no sign of probe into UP foodgrain scam

NEW DELHI: More than three months after the Allahabad HC recommended a CBI probe into the massive foodgrain scam in Uttar Pradesh, the Centre seems undecided about the fate of the investigation. Responding to a petition, Justices H L Gokhale and Anjani Kumar of the Lucknow Bench of the HC had said on December 19 last year, "We expect the CBI to take necessary steps under its powers... we also note that under Section 173(8) of CrPC, any further investigation, if required, could also be done by the investigating agency." The Mayawati government's notification of December 1, 2007, significantly, asked the CBI to investigate the massive diversion of foodgrain from the mid-day meal and food-for-work programmes between March 2004 and October 2005 - the period when the Mulayam Singh Yadav regime was in power. The Centre, however, has not yet given CBI the signal required to register a case. A closer look at the UP foodgrain scam only unravels its "diabolic" method and the impunity with which its perpetrators have so far gone scot free. Taking note of the documents submitted by the Mayawati government, the judges observed that diversion of foodgrain meant for food-for-work and mid-day meal programmes had not been confined to the Sitapur and Lakhimpur Kheri districts but stretched to other areas as well. THE TIMES OF INDIA; 31 Mar 2008, 0120 hrs IST , Bhaskar Roy , TNN(bhaskar.roy@timesgroup.com)