Two Agriculture officials suspended over bribery complaints in MP

New Delhi/Bhopal: Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has ordered the suspension of two marketing officers of the Agriculture department following complaints that they allegedly sought bribes from warehouse operators for releasing subsidy payments.

Marketing officers Neeraj Verma and Sandeep Didawat were suspended with immediate effect following the complaints received by Union Minister Chouhan, according to a statement issued by the Minister's office.

Verma allegedly demanded Rs 50,000 each from warehouse operators in Madhya Pradesh's Sehore district for releasing their subsidy amounts, while Didawat allegedly sought Rs 60,000 from the operator of Prakash Warehouse in Raisen during an inspection, the statement said.

The complaints were brought to Union Minister Chouhan's notice, following which he directed officials to take action against the two officers.

"Any complaint related to corruption or irregularities in government work will be taken seriously. Strict action will be taken against those found involved in such activities," the Union Minister said in the statement on Thursday.

The latest action came two days after the Union Minister Chouhan had ordered the suspension of another marketing officer Anurag over allegations of demanding bribes from warehouse operators in Sehore district.

According to the statement, Anurag had allegedly demanded Rs 1 lakh from the operator of Shivay Warehouse in Bhairunda tehsil and Rs 60,000 from the operator of Shri Krishna Warehouse in Beherakhedi village in Rehti area for releasing subsidy payments.

Union Minister Chouhan said that government officials dealing with farmers and subsidy-related matters must discharge their responsibilities with transparency and accountability.

"There will be no tolerance for corruption in matters concerning farmers and government assistance. Officials found guilty will face strict action," he added.

The Union Minister also directed the concerned authorities to ensure that subsidy-related processes are completed without harassment or illegal demands from beneficiaries and warehouse operators.

With the latest suspensions, three marketing officers have faced action in the past few days over complaints concerning alleged bribe demands linked to the release of subsidy payments.

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