SARGODHA, March 28: An anti-corruption court has summoned five officials of the district food department with relevant record of the gunny bags allegedly sold by them.

The hearing has been fixed for April 9.

The accused officials include assistant food controller Muhammad Nawaz, food inspectors Muhammad Khalid, Muhammad Shahbaz and Muhammad Shuja, and store officer Tariq Pervez.

The case was registered on the complaint of a farmer. The accused are facing both departmental and police inquiries. The anti-corruption staff have completed their inquiry and submitted a provisional challan to the court.

The accused are charged with colluding in the illicit sale of the empty bags worth over Rs2 million from Asianwala godown. Following the discovery of this scam, inquiries regarding other godowns are also under process.

Meanwhile, it is learnt that food inspector Khalid has been dismissed, while Shahbaz has been suspended from service.

OPEN KUTCHERY: Punjab Food Minister Chaudhry Muhammad Iqbal, secretary and director will hold an open kutchery at the Circuit House here at 10:30am on March 31 to hear the complaints of farmers and flour mills owners.

All the regional and district government officials have been directed to attend the kutchery.

A bumper crop has been reported in the region and harvesting is likely to start by the end of March.—APP