Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal (SD)

Bantwal, May 2: A case has been registered in Bantwal town police station against a person for buying food grains meant for public distribution system from people with ration cards at a lower price and selling the same at a higher price. Two persons, Abdul Hakim (60) and Abdul Saleem (45) from Goodinabali near here stand arrested relating to this incident.

Food Inspector, Srinivas, who got tip-off about this illegal business, raided Abdul Hakim’s place in B Mooda village. Srinivas found a vehicle parked outside Hakim’s building with registration number KL 14 V 4970. The pick-up truck contained rice in gunny bags stacked one over the other.

When Srinivas questioned the driver of the vehicle, Abdul Salam, he said that the rice was being taken to Kerala and he has no paperwork. When the building owner was questioned, the scandal came to light.

During the raid, 60 bags of rice weighing 50 kg each, which was loaded in the pick-up truck, 27 bags kept inside the building weighing 50 kg each, and 28 bags containing 40 kg rice each, were seized along with weighing scales and the vehicle. Value of items so seized has been estimated at Rs 2.37 lac.

A case has been registered by the Bantwal police against the accused for violating sections 3 and 7 of Karnataka Essential Commodities Act 1955, sections 4 and 5 of Karnataka Essential Commodities (Maintenance of Accounts, Display of Prices & Stocks) Order, 1981 and section 18 of Karnataka Essential Commodities Public Distribution System. (Control) Order, 2016. The arrested accused have been charged with purchasing rice meant for rationing system at low rates and transporting the same to Kerala.