CBI files 3 cases against CCI, AMC officials

Officials conduct raids on the offices and residences of the accused and seize incriminating documents

Visakhapatnam: The local branch of CBI registered three cases against the officials of Cotton Corporation of India (CCI), Guntur and officials of Agricultural Marketing Committee (AMC) of Guntur, Krosur, Chintalpudi, West Godavari, Kuknuru, Nandigama, Pedana-ndipadu and Mylavaram.

The first case was filed against R Jeya Kumar, branch manager, Cotton Corporation of India, Guntur, Rayapati Purnachandra Rao, cotton purchaser and centre in-charge, CCI, Guntur, Krosur and Kuknuru centres and officials of Agricultural Marketing Committee, Guntur, Krosur, Chintalpudi, West Godavari and Kuknuru.

The accused procured 11,75,243 quintals of cotton kappas from middlemen instead of cotton growers or farmers at notified market yards of agricultural marketing committees at minimum support price during the crop season 2014-15 and gave false consolidated certificates to the effect that the cotton kappas were purchased from bonafide farmers at the market yards of their respective AMCs. R Jeya Kumar allegedly released payment to the middlemen, based on the forged documents causing loss to the Corporation.

CBI officials also registered a second case against Jeya Kumar, D Rajasekhar Reddy, cotton purchaser and centre in-charge, CCI, Nandigama and Pedanandipadu centres and officials of Agricultural Marketing Committee, Nandigama and Pedanandipadu. The accused procured 9,07,551.23 quintals of cotton by adopting the same modus operandi.

Jeya Kumar’s name was also figured in the third case filed by CBI officials along with G Varun Raghuveer, cotton purchaser and in-charge CCI, Mylavaram and S Srinivas, supervisor AMC, Mylavaram for causing loss to the Corporation. The CBI officials have conducted raids on the residences and offices of the accused at 18 places in Guntur, Krishna, West Godavari and Prakasam districts and seized several incriminating documents.