ED Raids HUDCO Bhilai In Custom Milling Scam Probe Action Intensifies Across Chh'garh

(MENAFN- IANS) Durg/Bhilai, Sep 18 (IANS) In a fresh crackdown linked to the ongoing investigation into the alleged custom milling scam, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted a raid at HUDCO Bhilai on Thursday

A four-member ED team arrived at the premises around 6 a.m., initiating a detailed search and questioning session that continued through the day, the source said.

Sources indicate that the raid is part of a broader operation targeting financial irregularities in custom milling contracts -- an issue that has raised serious concerns over procurement and payment practices in the state's food and civil supplies sector.

The ED team is reportedly scrutinising documents related to land allotments, financial transactions, and contract records at HUDCO Bhilai, which may hold key evidence in the unfolding scam.

This raid is one among several coordinated actions being carried out across Chhattisgarh.

According to sources, simultaneous raids are underway in ten different districts, signalling a significant escalation in the probe.

The ED has remained tight-lipped about the specific locations and individuals under investigation, but sources suggest that several government offices and private entities involved in custom milling contracts are under the scanner.

The custom milling scam, which allegedly involves the manipulation of rice procurement and milling records, has drawn attention for its scale and potential political ramifications.

Investigators believe that inflated bills, ghost mills, and forged documentation may have led to massive losses to the state exchequer.

Local sources in Bhilai reported heightened security around HUDCO premises, with ED officials restricting access and maintaining strict confidentiality about the nature of the documents being examined.

Questioning of key personnel is ongoing, and more summons are expected in the coming days.

This marks the second major ED raid in the Durg-Bhilai region within a month, underscoring the agency's intensified focus on financial crimes in Chhattisgarh.

The state government has yet to issue an official statement, but a source said that the timing and scale of the raids could have implications for upcoming administrative reviews and public trust in procurement systems.

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