12 tonnes of PDS rice seized

Visakhapatnam: On a tip-off, the vigilance and enforcement officials, along with the civil supplies officials, raided Sri Sai Seetha Traders Rice Mill at Teruvupalli village in Rambilli mandal on Friday and found that PDS rice is being polished in the mill, hence, they seized it.

According to the vigilance officials, the owner of the rice mill S Babu Rao procuring the PDS rice locally and polishing the same at the mill. Later, the accused is selling the same rice in 25 kgs bags in the name of high quality rice.

During the raids, the officials found the stock point which is also supplying the PDS rice to the rice mill and seized Bolero vehicle in which 12 tonnes of PDS rice worth Rs 5 lakh was found.

The officials registered a case under Essential Commodities Act against the accused S Babu Rao and Nagaraju, who is maintaining the stock point. CI Srinivas Rao, tahsildhar Sumabala, SI S Ramesh and ASO from civil  supply department conducted the raids.