Supreme Court

JAIPUR: A day after Supreme Court rejected the anticipatory bail application of suspended IAS officer Nirmala Meena , the Anti-Corruption Bureau ( ACB ) conducted raids at five hideouts of the officer on Friday.

She is accused of committing irregularities in the distribution of foodgrain meant for the BPL families. Sleuths said that her arrest is inevitable now and if she fails to turn up, they have no hesitation in requesting the court for the attachment of her property.

Various teams of ACB searched houses of the officer situated in Noida (Uttar Pradesh), Ajmer, Udaipur, Jodhpur and Jaipur.

“We searched the houses that belonged to her and also those belonged to some of her family members, including her brother. Though, she was not available at all these places, still we have confidence of arresting her soon. We have got concrete clues on her whereabouts,” said Ajay Pal Lamba, the supervisory officer of the case and also the superintendent of police, Jodhpur told TOI over phone.

Senior officers of ACB said that the officer in order to evade arrest skipped her attendance before the ACB officers despite almost 16 notices served to her. “Her anticipatory bail has also been rejected by both Supreme Court and High court. Either she will surrender or we are going to find her soon,” said a senior officer.

“We will request the court for the attachment of her property if she remains elusive,” the officer added.

The irregularities was found by ACB during March, 2016 when private floor mill owners allegedly in connivance with the government officers including the then district supplies officer (DSO) , Nirmala Meena got wheat from FCI go downs and sold it to the private floor mill owners during March, 2016. Nearly 33,000 quintals of wheat which procured was meant to be distributed to the BPL families through PDS shops. However, the racket comprising government officers and private floor mill owners claimed since 35,000 members are added in the BPL list they needed this much of wheat. “It was a scam of nearly Rs 8 crore in which we have already arrested one accused,” said an officer.

