Rs 2.5 crore worth grains seized

AHMEDNAGAR, Nov 12: Five traders, including one from Shevgaon arrested in connection with the alleged hoarding of 25,000 quintals of grains were today awarded police custody till Saturday. The traders were arrested after a series of raids on godowns and other places, at Ahmednagar and Shevgaon, yesterday, seizing grains worth Rs 2.5 crores.

The seized grains includes cereals and pulses. The revenue officials conducted raids on the shops and godowns of local traders, Ramlal Lalchand Gandhi, Satishkumar Bogawat, Ganabishan Maniar, A.B. Chordia and S.H. Mota from Shevgaon on Wednesday. Their shops have been sealed. The traders had maintained the stock in the names of 40 other people, mainly porters and employees who have no licences for stocking grains. The grains were stocked in their own shops and in the warehouse of the Maharashtra State Warehousing Corporation at Kedgaon. The traders are authorised to stock 1,000 quintal grains.

However most of these traders had violated the rule. The collector needs to informed while stocking the grains at the warehouse and the traders had not followed this rule. The role played by the warehouse employees in this affair is also doubtful. Therefore, the stock at the government warehouse has been sealed and the records have been seized.

Two trucks of Ramlal Gandhi8217;s which were transporting Bengal grams to Karnataka have also been seized. The authorities are considering distribution of the confiscated Bengal grams in fair price shops.

The raids have also revealed that stocks was held in the names of 23 unauthorised persons. The police have also been informed that 14 traders have held their stock of grains elsewhere.

The raids were conducted by district supply officer Dutta Deogaonkar, BDO Sharad Jadhav, foodgrains distribution officer A D Kulkarni under the guidance of collector Vijay Kumar.