11 agri officials sacked over Kishangarh fake fertiliser scam
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Jaipur: Cracking down on deep-rooted negligence and alleged collusion, Rajasthan agriculture minister Dr Kirori Lal Meena Friday suspended 11 officers of the agriculture department in connection to the unearthing of fake fertiliser manufacturing racket operating out of Kishangarh.
The suspended officials, according to the minister, were found to be complicit or grossly negligent in allowing the scam to thrive for years. The action followed raids personally conducted by Meena at factories and godowns in Kishangarh, where fake fertilisers were being manufactured and supplied to at least 15 to 16 states on. "Despite an earlier inspection on Dec 30, 2024, officials reported nothing suspicious.
The inspection report was deliberately suppressed and the matter was closed," Meena said.
He said there was clear evidence of collusion between officials and the fertiliser units. Those suspended include Banshidhar Jat, then deputy director (Quality Control); Jwala Pratap Singh, assistant director (Quality Control); Govind Singh Naruka, assistant director (Plantation); Mukesh Kumar Chaudhary, assistant director (Plant Protection); Mukesh Kumar Mali, now joint director, Beawar; and Kailash Chandra Sharma, now deputy project director, Agricultural Technology Management Agency.
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