Collector G. Govindaraj on Thursday detained four persons, including two employees of Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC), under Goondas Act.
The four were among 12 persons arrested by Civil Supplies CID wing officials at Palladam on charges of smuggling five tonnes of rice in a lorry from one of the TNCSC’s storage yards at Thirumangalam near Madurai to Walayar in Kerala during the first week of this month.
Inspector of Civil Supplies CID wing V. Balamurugan told The Hindu that the four detained under the Goondas Act were M. Muthudurai (45), who is a Junior Quality Inspector with TNCSC, K. Sundarapandian (38), a Clerical cadre employee with TNCSC, J. Sundarapandi (34), a loadman at the Thirumangalam yard and also office bearer of the local Loadmen Association at Thirumangalam, and D. Sivapandi (34), who purchased the rice.
Mr. Balamurugan said the detention order was served on the four at Central Prison in Coimbatore where they were lodged since their arrest earlier this month.