"Mother of all scams" in India: food meant for the poor was sold to the public...

The poorest of the poor in India's most populous state, Uttar Pradesh, are at the heart of a major food scandal.

The Indian media has described it as "the mother of all scams".

It appears to show elements of the state bureaucracy diverting food from citizens who are right at the bottom of the economic ladder.

Officials say massive quantities of food grains and fuel, meant to be distributed through the public distribution system or to be given to the poor under welfare schemes like food-for-work and school meals for poor children, have been stolen over the years and sold on the open market.

This is being investigated by India's federal police and there are countless pages of court documents setting out the extent of the deception. More...

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