Karnataka’s Food Department has seized 565 tonnes of rice meant for the Annabhagya food-subsidy scheme and 24 vehicles in operations against alleged illegal storage and transportation across the state, Food Minister Rizwan Arshad said on Friday. Cases have been registered in Belagavi, Vijayapura and Bengaluru Rural districts, while two department officials have been suspended for allegedly releasing seized stock without taking action.
According to a statement issued by the minister, four cases were registered in Belagavi and one each in Vijayapura and Bengaluru Rural. The department said the seized rice was being moved or stored outside the authorised distribution system, with some consignments allegedly intended for sale in the open market.
The largest seizure was reported at a rice mill in Lokur village of Kagawad taluk in Belagavi district. Food Department officials, assisted by the Agriculture Marketing Department and the police, found about 422 tonnes of ration rice allegedly stored illegally at Sri Banashankari Agro Processing Private Limited. The department said the rice had been brought to the warehouse after being transported illegally from other locations. Nineteen vehicles used in the operation were seized, and a case was registered against the warehouse owner.
In other parts of Belagavi, officials intercepted consignments allegedly being smuggled to Maharashtra in trucks. About 71.8 tonnes of rice and one truck were seized. The department said the rice had been packed into coloured bags and was being transported for sale in the open market. Cases were registered against drivers identified as Ratan Baban Sadanande of Latur, Maharashtra, Vijayanarayan Bhonsle of Satara district and Mohammed Rafiq Attar of Hubballi.
Officials also seized 35,392 kilograms of ration rice from trucks in the Jalanagar area of Vijayapura. The driver fled during the operation. At the Attibele check-post in Bengaluru Rural district, officials seized another truck carrying about 35 tonnes of ration rice. Cases were registered against Annapoorneshwari Enterprises in Hulivan Kere Godu of Mandya, the owners of Sailor Exports Limited in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, and four drivers, according to the minister’s statement.
The department separately suspended Praveen Sagar, a taluk food inspector, and L.B. Donge, a shirastedar, in connection with the alleged unauthorised release of rice and a truck from the Ravi Traders warehouse in Bastawad village of Hukkeri, Belagavi. The officials had been instructed to inspect the warehouse and take action following a complaint. Food Department Commissioner B. Poornima ordered their suspension for alleged dereliction of duty.
The department placed the value of the seized ration rice at ₹1.34 crore and the market value of the seized vehicles at ₹3.41 crore. Arshad said the government would take strict action against those involved in the alleged diversion of subsidised rice as well as officials who assist such activity. The cases and departmental proceedings will determine responsibility in the individual incidents.
