CID Detains Mulugu District Millers Over CMR Irregularities
Former millers’ association president Badam Praveen among those detained
Investigations into irregularities in the supply of Custom Milled Rice (CMR) have created a stir in rice milling circles in Mulugu district as the CID has detained former Mulugu district rice millers’ association president Badam Praveen and six others.
The detentions on Sunday coincided with the association’s presidential election.
CID personnel took Praveen into custody on NH 163 near Jakaram following allegations that government paddy had been diverted for sale elsewhere.
Under the CMR system, rice millers are required to return rice to the government in accordance with prescribed norms, against the paddy allotted to them for milling. Investigators are examining allegations of quality violations, discrepancies in stock records and diversion of paddy allotted under the scheme.
Governmental agencies are probing a possibility that the irregularities caused losses worth crores to the state government.
The civil supplies department and vigilance officials had held inspections of some mills in the past. However, the specific charges against each person detained and their alleged roles in the case are yet to be officially disclosed.
Warangal CID DSP, Vasam Sampath, said the investigations relating to CMR rice supplies were continuing. “The detained persons would be produced before the court on Monday,” he said.
Meanwhile, the detentions caused a stir during the millers’ association elections. Some candidates who intended to contest the elections, but have been detained, were brought back by the police to the election venue. However, they did not file their nominations, leaving only one candidate in the fray for the president’s post.
Discussions were underway among millers about a possible connection between the election and the CID action.
Katragadda Satish elected unopposed
Katragadda Satish, a native of Pasra village in Govindaraopet mandal of Mulugu district, was unanimously elected president of the district rice millers’ association on Sunday. As he was the only candidate to file the nomination for the post, the election officer declared him elected unopposed.
Satish had repeatedly served as president in the past. Attention is now on the steps he would take to address the millers’ grievances in coordination with various departments.
