BHAIRAHAWA, Oct 29: Rice bought from Nepal Food Corporation (NFC) in the name of prisoners of Rupandehi jail has been found to be sent to the go-downs of local traders, while prisoners have been complaining about not getting enough food.
In a recent case, 49 quintals of rice that was bought from the NFC in the name of prisoners of Rupandehi jail was found in the go-down of trader Hiralal Gupta based in Gallamadi, according to Sambhu Prasad Regmi, acting chief district officer of Rupandehi.
The jail had bought 91 quintals of rice for the prisoners from NFC, on Wednesday. Jail assistant Rabindra Pasi sent 165 rice sacks of 30 kg each to trader Gupta’s go-down, loading on a tractor with registration number Lu 1 Ta 6415, on Wednesday itself.
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Tek Prasad Devkota, chief of the jail, said that he had assigned his officials to bring 91 quintals of rice for the prisoners’ ration for three months.
“I was about to leave office while officials were unloading the rice sacks,” Devkota said, adding that he got information from the media that some of the rice was then dispatched elsewhere. He said there was no storage room in the jail.
On a tip-off, police team reached the go-down and seized the sacks at the trader’s go-down that came from NFC, said police superintendent Shyam Lal Gyawali, chief of Rupendehi police station. “The case is under investigation,” he added.
According to sources, rice is being smuggled out of the jail and sold to the traders, in collusion of prisoners’ leader and jail officials, since long. Even the trader Hiralal Gupta indirectly confessed that he had bought rice sacks from the prison. However, some of the officials claimed that the jail has been selling surplus rice and buying pulse and salt for the prisoners.
Police Chief Shyamlal Gyawali said the police would investigate the case as it was suspicious to send such huge quantity of rice sacks outside the jail.
