TIRUNELVELI
A Civil Supplies CID special team has nabbed a ration rice smuggler after a consignment of 13.50 tonnes of ration rice reportedly sent by him to neighbouring Kerala in a lorry was seized at Puliyarai recently.
When the Civil Supplies CID team was conducting vehicle check at Puliyarai check-post on Kerala border recently, the team intercepted a lorry carrying goods to Kerala.
As the team checked the vehicle, they found that 13.50 tonnes of ration rice meant for public distribution was being smuggled in the lorry to Kerala where the smugglers sell the rice at a premium to their associates.
As lorry driver S. Ramasamy, 40, of Alangulam in Tenkasi district was picked up for interrogation, he reportedly told the police team that he was taking the consignment to Kerala on instructions from one B. Mariappan, 62 of Alangulam, who is reportedly facing six cases pertaining to ration rice smuggling.
“Mariappan is a history-sheeter, who had submitted the ‘Know Your Criminal’ Form to the police on being arrested for hoarding and smuggling of ration rice,” sources in the Civil Supplies CID said.
As Mariappan went underground, a special team was despatched by Deputy Superintendent of Police T. Elangovan to arrest him. Following his mobile phone communication signals and other leads, the police arrested Mariappan at Rajapalayam in Virudhunagar district on Sunday night.
