Pics: Ahmed Bava
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (DC/SB)
Mangaluru, Sep 7: Police and RTI activists raided Mangalore Rice Mill at Shakthi Nagar and seized illegally-stored 1350kg rice (270 bags) meant for Akshara Dasoha scheme.
Divakar, corporator, Hanumantha Kamath, RTI activist and police raided the mill at 6 am and it continued up to 9 am. Police also found duplicate bills and empty bags with fake brand names printed on it.
Hanumantha Kamath, said, “The mill owners changed the brand names and original bags before rebranding it and selling it to private shops in the district and to Kerala for higher price,”
"For the last few months the owners are illegally selling rice meant for the poor. It is a huge racket run in the district and rice provided by the government is sold illegally in various parts of the country. Officials and some of the political leaders are involved in this racket,” he added.
Diwakar said, "Minister U T Khader knows about this illegal business. Since the CM is visiting Mangaluru today, I demand Khader to raise this issue at the meeting in the evening and order an enquiry into the matter.”
Kavoor police have sealed the mill and taken lorry driver into custody.