IMPHAL: The Manipur government has suspended two officials from the department of consumer affairs, food and public distribution (CAF & PD) for allegedly siphoning off 4386 metric tonnes of rice meant for distribution under the National Food Security Act (NFSA).
The suspended officials have been identified as K Nabachandra Singh and Lenin Sarngthem.
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Both the officials were arrested following the registration of two FIRs against them, although they have since been granted bail by the court.
The issue came to light during a session of the Manipur assembly, where Leishangthem Susindro Meitei, the Manipur minister for CAF&PD, addressed questions raised by MLA Sheikh Noorul Hassan of the Kshetrigao assembly constituency.
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The Manipur minister revealed that preliminary investigations indicated that the suspended officials misappropriated large quantities of rice that were allocated by the food corporation of India (FCI) under the NFSA.
The affected Manipur districts include Tamenglong, Noney, Kangpokpi, Imphal West and Imphal East.
The controversy surrounding the rice quota misappropriation intensified after hundreds of residents, who had not received their monthly rice allotments for the past eight months, staged a rally on July 29.