Hundreds of truck owners in Haryana have raised a massive alarm, claiming their vehicles were fraudulently used as 'ghost trucks' in a sophisticated paddy procurement scam. They assert they never transported any government paddy nor received the claimed payments, pointing fingers at a deep-rooted conspiracy within the system.
The Core of the Allegation: Unauthorized Use and Fabricated Records
According to the aggrieved owners, more than 500 trucks were listed in official records for lifting paddy from various procurement centers across the state. The crucial claim is that the physical trucks and their legitimate owners had no involvement in these operations. Their vehicle registration details were allegedly misused to create a paper trail for the theft of paddy worth crores of rupees.
The scandal came to light when the Haryana Food and Supplies Department initiated action against these truck owners. The department's records showed these trucks were used for transporting paddy during the recent procurement season. However, the owners maintain they were unaware until they received notices or found their vehicles implicated in an ongoing investigation.
A Case in Point: The Karnal FIR and Owner's Defence
The situation is starkly illustrated by a specific First Information Report (FIR) registered at the Karnal Civil Lines police station. Case number 138, dated February 16, 2024, involves allegations of paddy theft from the Grain Market in Karnal. Several trucks, including one with registration number HR-02N-0716, owned by Raj Kumar from Gharunda, were named in this FIR.
Raj Kumar presented a solid alibi to prove his innocence. He provided official documents showing his truck was stationed at a workshop in Panipat for repairs from October 26 to November 14, 2023—the exact period when the alleged theft occurred in Karnal. "How can my truck, which was under repair in another city, be used to lift paddy in Karnal? This clearly shows our details were stolen and misused," he argued.
Systemic Failure and Demand for Justice
The truck owners argue that the fraud exposes glaring loopholes in the state's procurement process. They question how trucks could be officially logged for lifting grain without any physical verification of the vehicle or its driver at the procurement center. The lack of cross-checks allowed fraudsters to operate with impunity.
The owners are now collectively demanding a thorough and impartial probe. They want the investigation to shift focus from them as accused parties to uncovering the real perpetrators who orchestrated the scam. Their primary demands include:
- Immediate clearance of their names from all false cases and police records.
- A high-level investigation into the officials and individuals who fabricated the transportation records.
- Stronger safeguards in the procurement system to prevent such identity theft of commercial vehicles in the future.
The Haryana police and the Food and Supplies Department are now under pressure to unravel the complex web of this 'ghost truck' operation. The outcome will significantly impact public trust in the state's crucial agricultural procurement system, which is designed to support farmers.
