Mohali, Feb. 26 -- A special court in Mohali convicted and sentenced two people, including an employee of the Punjab Agro Food Grain Corporation, in a 17-year-old paddy misappropriation case involving a loss of over Rs.2 crore to the state exchequer. Pronouncing the judgment, the court held Om Parkash (76), a retired miller, and Kuldeep Singh (74), a retired inspector of the Punjab Agro Food Grain Corporation, guilty and sentenced them to imprisonment for five years and a fine of Rs.20,000.Proceedings against co-accused Sham Sunder Bassi were abated following his death in 2021, while another accused, Sanjeev Kumar, had earlier been declared a proclaimed offender. According to the prosecution, the case dates back to the 2005-06 procurement season when the Department of Punjab Agro Food Grain Corporation, Ludhiana, had brought 72,605 bags of paddy from local markets (mandis) and stored it in M/s Jyoti Rice Mill, Khanna. Following approvals, 1,54,252 bags of paddy were brought from outside districts as well and were stored in the mill, taking the total allotment to 2,74,789 bags of paddy. However, during a surprise check, the vigilance bureau of economic offences wing on November 22, 2006, only 83,460 bags of paddy were found in the mill. Subsequently, an FIR was registered against Om Prakash, owner of the mill, and Kuldeep Singh, who was the milling incharge at that time, under Sections 409 (criminal breach of trust), 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC, and Section 13(1)(d) with 13(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as applicable before amendment). The court observed that the paddy stock was in the joint custody of the miller and the department's inspector-in-charge, as per the custom milling policy. It held that both Om Parkash and Kuldeep Singh were responsible for maintaining the quantity and quality of the entrusted stock. The court further held that once entrustment and shortage were established, the burden shifted to the accused to explain the missing stock, which they failed to do satisfactorily. The prosecution examined 22 witnesses, including vigilance officials and senior officers of the corporation. The case, presented in November 2008, was decided after a prolonged trial spanning over 17 years. "Though accused Om Parkash is not a public servant, he was an agent to Punjab Agro Food Grains Corporation Limited, and he was a person in a position of trust, making him liable under the provisions of Section 409 of IPC. As such, the offence under Section 409 of IPC is made out against the accused Om Parkash as well as the accused Kuldeep Singh. Kuldeep, being a public servant, has abused his position in order to gain pecuniary advantage for the co-accused, even though there had been no direct bribe demand," the court observed....