Dehradun: Special CBI Judge Madan Ram on Monday granted a major relief to Ashok Kumar Gupta, the main accused in the ration embezzlement scam of the 23rd Battalion of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP). The CBI court granted bail to the accused on the condition of furnishing a personal bond of ₹50,000 and two sureties of the same amount.
CBI court grants relief to accused in ITBP ration scam: According to reports, in December 2023, the CBI filed a case against Ashok Kumar Gupta and others based on a complaint from the ITBP. The accused were accused of making undue profits of ₹70.56 lakh in the purchase of rations (mutton, chicken, fish, eggs, cheese, and fruits) for the soldiers. According to the CBI, the accused colluded with vendors to manipulate official records and submit inflated bills. Irregularities were also found in the purchase of heating oil and other items for posts near the LAC.
The court granted bail on the following grounds: The accused’s defense argued in the CBI court that the accused was innocent. The charge sheet has been filed in the case. The evidence collection process is no longer pending. The co-accused in the case have been granted bail. The accused surrendered himself upon summons. Since he is a public servant, there is no possibility of him absconding or tampering with evidence. He has no previous criminal record. The court subsequently granted the accused’s application on the condition of a personal bond of ₹50,000 and two sureties of the same amount.
Animal herders in the mountainous region supply non-vegetarian food to the ITBP: It is noteworthy that the Uttarakhand government has signed an MoU with the ITBP. Under this MoU, signed under the Vibrant Village Scheme, villagers in the mountainous regions of Uttarakhand are providing goats, sheep, fish, and poultry to the ITBP battalion. The MoU is directly benefiting approximately 11,000 animal herders through more than 80 cooperative societies in the state. Interestingly, 7,000 women are involved in this initiative. 10,000 livestock farmers benefit from sheep and goat rearing, over 740 from poultry supply, and over 450 from fish supply. This generates an annual turnover of over ₹2 billion (2 billion rupees).
