: The Commissionerate police, in a joint crackdown with civil supply department staff, busted a racket that involved illegal dealing of PDS rice. Five persons were arrested in this case.
“We have arrested three staff members of a model fair price shop (Maitree), a rice merchant of Mal Godown and a driver and forwarded them to court,” said ACP Trinath Mishra here on Saturday.
The police seized 195 packets, each containing 50 kg rice, and the vehicle used for transportation of the stuff.
All the packets are marked as PDS rice meant to be distributed among BPL families at Re 1 per kg.
The police said they intercepted the vehicle carrying some rice packets from a government model shop located at Buxibazaar to the godown of the rice merchant located at Mal Godown. Following the raids, the police seized more packets of PDS rice stored in the godown.
“After questioning the rice merchant and the staff of the model shop, it was revealed that the PDS rice meant for BPL families is clandestinely sold in the open market. It is a clear case of pilferage of subsidised rice and we believe a powerful racket is behind it,” the ACP said.
‘It is a clear case of pilferage of subsidised rice and we believe a powerful racket is behind it’
