Karnataka’s Food Department has seized about 565 tonnes of rice meant for the Annabhagya ration scheme, along with 24 vehicles, during operations against illegal storage and transport across the state, Food Minister Rizwan Arshad said on Friday.
The department has registered nine cases linked to the seizures in Belagavi, Vijayapura and Bengaluru Rural districts. The seized ration rice is valued at ₹1.34 crore, while the market value of the vehicles has been estimated at ₹3.41 crore, according to figures released by the department.
The largest seizure was reported from Sri Banashankari Agro Processing Pvt. Ltd., a rice mill in Lokur village of Kagwad taluk in Belagavi district. Food department officials, working with the Agriculture Marketing Department and the police, found about 422 tonnes of ration rice allegedly stored illegally at the mill. The department said the rice had been brought to the warehouse through illegal transport 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 trucks allegedly carrying ration rice for smuggling into Maharashtra. About 71.8 tonnes of rice and one truck were seized. The department said the rice had been packed in coloured bags and was being transported for sale in the open market. Cases were registered against truck drivers Ratan Baban Sadanande of Latur in Maharashtra, Vijay Narayan 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 truck driver reportedly fled during the operation. At the Attibele checkpost in Bengaluru Rural district, officials seized about 35 tonnes of ration rice from another truck. Cases were registered against the owners of Annapoorneshwari Enterprises in Hulivana Keregod village of Mandya district, Sailor Exports Limited of Indore in Madhya Pradesh, and four drivers.
The department has also suspended two officials in a separate case in Belagavi’s Bastawad village. Food inspector Praveen Sagar and shirastedar L.B. Dange were suspended after a warehouse belonging to Ravi Traders was reportedly found storing ration rice illegally and a truck loaded with the rice was released without action. Commissioner B. Poornima ordered the suspensions, stating that the officials had been instructed to inspect the warehouse and take action following a complaint.
Arshad said the government would take strict action against those involved in the illegal movement of ration rice as well as officials who assist such activity. The department’s statement did not provide details of the next legal or disposal steps for the seized rice and vehicles.
