PDS rice seized, miller among five arrested

Hyderabad: The SOT Malkajgiri police along with the Vigilance and Civil Supplies Enforcement officials raided a rice mill at Keesara here on Sunday and arrested five persons on charges of illegally transporting rice meant for Public Distribution Scheme (PDS). The police seized 616.15 quintals of PDS rice at Datta Sai rice mill.

According to the police, the rice mill owner Y Sudarshan had procured PDS rice without any legal sanction. The PDS rice, worth Rs 29,22,760, were seized. The miller, the habitual offender, had engaged in illegal trading of PDS rice.

He collected the rice through agents from households in the localities at a cheaper price and sold them at the high price after processing the rice in his rice mill. He would sell the rice in attractive bags, an exact replica of brands, and used to get more profits, the police said.

The police also seized three vehicles which were loaded with PDS rice. The officials found piled up rice sacks in 25 kg and 50 kg bags, which are the mixing of rejected CMR (civil supplies rejected rice) rice and PDS rice.

The arrested included Yenishetty Sudharshan (58) resident of Ramnagar Colony, Syed HanifSaifan (49) resident of Tuljapur district, Maharashtra, Ganta Koti (45) resident of Jamai Osmania, Chola Shiva Krishna (24) resident of Vidyanagar, Vorsu Venkatesh (36)  Vidya Nagar, Musherabad. A case under section 420, 406 and section of 7 of The Essential Commodities Act has been booked with Keesara police station.