The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday conducted joint surprise checks in Lakshadweep following allegations of corruption and irregularities, including a purported scam in the export of Tuna fish to a Sri Lankan company in which an MP and his nephew are under the scanner, according to agency sources.
The fish was being exported to a Colombo-based company, S. R. T. General Merchants Importers and Exporters, which did not make any payments. It is alleged that MP Mohammed Faizal’s nephew Abdul Razaq was a company representative.
As alleged, some Lakshadweep Co-operative Marketing Federation (LCMF) officials conspired with public representatives and other officials to facilitate the export of Tuna fish — procured from local fishermen — to the company without following the requisite tender process and other formalities.
The 25-member CBI team led by a Deputy Inspector-General level officer, along with the vigilance officials of the Lakshadweep administration, also carried out joint surprise checks linked to the Fisheries Department, Public Works Department, Khadi Board and Co-operative Society and the Animal Husbandry Department.
Swindling of subsidy
One surprise check was conducted to verify the allegation that some unknown officials of the Lakshadweep’s Department of Fisheries, in connivance with others, swindled huge amounts of subsidy by illegally registering a large number of boats in the name of poor residents of the island. These boats were being run using subsidised diesel.
In another matter, the agency suspects that a majority of beneficiaries of the houses being constructed by the Lakshadweep Building Development Board under the schemes meant for poor people were ineligible persons. Besides this, in the Khadi Board and Co-operative Society, several local leaders were loan defaulters.
“There is also an alleged scam of several crores of rupees in the Animal Husbandry Department, Lakshadweep, in the purchase of low quality medicines and poultry feed,” said an official.
