Punjab jail superintendent suspended over ‘lemon scam’
India Today
The Punjab government suspended Kapurthala Modern jail superintendent for allegedly raising fake lemon purchase bills worth Rs 10,000.
While the common man struggles to buy the lemons as the prices go beyond their reach, a jail officer in Punjab was suspended for raising fake lemon purchase bills .
The Punjab government suspended Kapurthala Modern jail superintendent Gurnam Lal after jail records showed that about 50 kilograms of lemons were purchased at Rs 200 per kg, worth Rs 10,000 between April 15- 30, 2022 .
The truth came to light when Punjab minister for Jails, Mining and Tourism Harjot Singh Bains received a complaint from the jail inmates that the jail superintendent was raising fake ration bills and the items shown in the bills were never given to the jail inmates.
The Minister then ordered the verification of the stock and bills. Accordingly, a verification by the senior jail officials revealed that the lemon bills were fake. Jail inmates had also told the officials that they were never provided lemons.
Cross verification of the rations and vegetable stocks also revealed irregularities. The probe has also hinted at a vegetable and wheat flour purchase scam.
The accounts officer in his report also said that the food being served to the inmates was substandard and did not match the quantity as specified in the jail manuals.
There are also allegations that the jail superintendent indulged in mismanagement and had no control over the juniors who were lax.
