Hyderabad: The Hyderabad task force busted a major interstate PDS racket on Monday and arrested a gang of four, including a ration dealer. Two others are absconding. Police seized 256 bags of PDS rice and wheat weighing around 120 quintals, a weighing scale and a mini truck used for transporting the diverted material.
Taskforce DCP B. Limba Reddy said the accused P. Omprakash is a ration dealer at Jhansi Chowra in Hyderabad. He purchases rice and wheat from beneficiaries for Rs 8 per kilo. He also collects rice and wheat which are not purchased by beneficiaries and sells it at a higher price to another accused named Munawar from Zaheerabad.
“Munawar collected rice and wheat from other ration dealers in the city for Rs 10 per kilo and stored them at a godown in Kishanbagh. With the help of Syed Feroz, a driver, he transported the material to agents in different districts in Telangana, Karnataka and Gujarat," said Mr Limba Reddy. A cheating case under Section 420 and the Essential Commodities Act was registered and the arrested men were sent to remand. A hunt is on to nab the absconding people.
Munawar sold the supplies to agents at Rs 12-14 per kilo. Cops found that the supplies were diverted from dealers. The dealers distribute supplies partly to beneficiaries by giving some excuses and withhold the balance. This will be sold to agents who shift them to rice mills in Zaheerabad, Bodhan, Nizamabad and other parts of Karnataka and Gujarat. There the rice is polished and mixed with fine rice and then released into the market.
“As this has become a big menace, we are invoking the PD Act against persons who are involved,” added Mr Limba Reddy.
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