22 Tonnes of PDS Rice Seized, Five Arrested in Telangana Raid

Five persons were arrested and approximately 22 tonnes of Public Distribution System (PDS) rice along with two tonnes of wheat were seized during a joint operation by the Gachibowli police, the Civil Supplies Department, and the State Vigilance Team in Gowlidoddi village, Serilingampally mandal, Rangareddy district on Thursday.

Acting on a tip-off about the illegal procurement, storage, and transportation of PDS commodities, officials inspected premises behind a government school and an open plot near Jayabheri Apartments.

The accused were identified as Mohd. Sami (27), a businessman from Rajendranagar; Nagesh (20), a driver from Markundha village, Bidar district, Karnataka; Biru Kumar (24), a driver from Bidar district, Karnataka; Md. Mubeen Ahmed Qureshi (20), a driver from Perla Bowli in Hyderabad's Old City; and Abdul Neef (27), a driver from Khajanagar, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad.

During the operation, the team seized around 520 plastic bags of PDS rice, each weighing between 40 kg and 50 kg, loaded onto a 12-tyre lorry. Additionally, around 40 bags of wheat were found stored in a nearby compound.

Police said random verification of the rice bags revealed the presence of Fortified Rice Kernels (FRK), confirming that the stock was supplied under the Telangana government's Public Distribution System for distribution to eligible beneficiaries.

Preliminary investigation indicated that the accused were purchasing PDS rice and wheat from beneficiaries at low prices before selling the commodities at higher rates for illegal financial gain, in violation of the Telangana State Public Distribution System (Control) Order, 2016, and other applicable laws.

In addition to the rice and wheat, officials seized five vehicles used in the illegal transportation, including a 12-tyre lorry and four goods carriers.

Further investigation is underway.