Nellore: Acting on a tip-off, the Vigilance and Enforcement sleuths seized 14,586 bags of rice worth Rs 89.32 lakh during raids on Sri Rajalakshmi Rice Mill located at Chemudugunta near Nellore and its godown at Manubolu on Wednesday. According to information, the rice mill was involved in milling the paddy supplied by the government for public distribution.
However, the mill was clandestinely selling the paddy provided by the government and supplying the rice meant for public distribution in Tamil Nadu after recycling the same. The rice being procured from the border areas of Tamil Nadu located in nearby SPSR Nellore district.
The team found 793 bags worth Rs 9.75 lakhs in two lorries ready for transportation to public distribution points during their inspection at the mill. They have also found 73 bags of rice near Tada and 13,720 bags of paddy worth 79.57 lakhs in a godown at Manubolu.
Incidentally, there was no trace of 10,000 bags of paddy supplied by the government. Though the mill proprietor K.Ravi claimed that the paddy is part of 13,720 bags, the officials struck down the claim pointing to the gunny bags which are different from those supplied by the government.
The V and E team led by the SP Rameshaiah and DSP P. Venkatnath Reddy and Inspectors Satyanarayana, Sangameswar Rao and Srinivasa Rao apart from DCTO Ravi carried out the operation and registered a case against the miller after seizing the stock and lorries.
