Chandigarh, Jun 21 (Reporter) The Punjab Vigilance Bureau (VB) has unearthed a scam amounting to Rs 1.55 crore by raiding a warehouse and seizing two trucks laden with 1138 bags of rice, an official said on Friday. In this case, the VB has arrested Gopal Goyal, owner of Shiv Shakti Rice Mill, in Hoshiarpur district along with two truck drivers Jagpal Singh and Sukhwinder Singh. The VB spokespersons informed that a case has been registered against Harish Dalal, Gopal Goyal and truck drivers Jagpal Singh and Sukhwinder Singh under the Prevention of Corruption Act at VB police station Bathinda range. He added that the role of officials and employees of Global Warehouse besides staff of Food Corporation of India would be considered during the probe. He informed that under the Bharat Brand Scheme, being run by the Government of India, about 70,000 Metric Tonnes (MT) of rice was being distributed by the National Cooperative Consumer Federation of India in Bathinda, Bhucho, Maur, Rampura Phul and Budhlada to the poor families costing about Rs 130 crore. Out of this, about 1000 MT of rice has to be distributed at Rs 18.50 per kg, after filling it in bags weighing 5 kg and 10 kg. The tender for supplying this rice to the beneficiaries at a rate of Rs 29 per kg in Bathinda district, was awarded to Jai Janedar firm. He further revealed that the VB received information from a reliable source that an attempt was being made to embezzle the rice for beneficiaries worth Rs 3.40 crore. Acting on the information, the VB team has confiscated 2 trucks loaded with 1138 bags of rice which were to be sent to Hamjapur in Fathiabad but the tenderer firm has not cleaned the rice and not filled it in the bags as mandated, with a motive to usurp the rice by further selling it directly to the rice sellers. During the probe it was also found that the firm wants to embezzle the government stock meant for the poor people by selling it at an expensive price of Rs 34 per kg...////...