The Union Agriculture Ministry has suspended marketing officer Anurag after complaints that he allegedly demanded a total of Rs 1.60 lakh from two warehouse operators in Madhya Pradesh’s Sehore district to process pending government subsidies, according to a report by Aaj Tak Business.
The action followed complaints from operators of the Shivay Warehouse in Bhairunda tehsil and the Shri Krishna Warehouse in Beherakhedi village in the Rehti area. The officer was reportedly involved in inspecting warehouses constructed under government schemes and processing their subsidy approvals.
According to the report, Anurag allegedly sought Rs 1 lakh from the Shivay Warehouse operator to clear the subsidy amount. A separate demand of Rs 60,000 was allegedly made to complete the subsidy process for the Shri Krishna Warehouse. The operators reportedly refused to pay and complained that their subsidy payments could be delayed if they did not comply.
The complaints were subsequently brought to the attention of Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. The report said Chouhan directed officials to initiate an investigation and take immediate action. Following those directions, the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare suspended the officer with immediate effect.
The case concerns a part of the subsidy chain that links public funding with the construction and approval of agricultural storage infrastructure. Warehouse operators depend on inspections and administrative approvals before subsidy amounts can be released. Any delay or alleged demand for payment at that stage can affect project cash flows and the functioning of storage facilities intended to support agricultural supply chains.
The ministry’s action also places attention on how subsidy-linked inspections are administered at the district level. Such processes generally involve physical verification, documentation and approval before funds are released, although the supplied report does not provide details of the specific subsidy scheme, the value of either warehouse project or the status of the pending payments.
Chouhan said government subsidies must reach genuine beneficiaries without improper pressure and that officials found involved in corruption would face departmental and legal action, according to the report. The ministry has not, in the supplied material, disclosed the duration of the suspension, the investigating authority or whether a criminal case has been registered.
The suspension is an administrative action and does not by itself establish final criminal liability. Further proceedings, including the departmental investigation and any legal action announced by the authorities, will determine the outcome of the allegations.
