8 held selling fake seeds
The Cyberabad police, in a series of raids on spurious seeds sellers, arrested eight persons and seized `5 lakh worth of spurious seeds. The Rachakonda police seized two houses used as warehouses for the spurious seeds.
The main accused has been identified as Venkat Reddy, who is absconding.
His associates identified as Yeruva Sudhakar Reddy and Annapa Reddy were arrested during the raids.
Other raids led to the arrests of Gundumalla Siddeshwar Goud, Jivala Buchaiah, Begari Murali, Bheema Rajesh, Jillalamudi Madhava Rao and Aitha Venkata Murali.
A special operations team (SOT) conducted raids at different shops at Kondurg and Nagarguda Crossroads, Shabad and house of Venkat Reddy (the main accused) at Dharma Sagar of Chevella and another house in Shadnagar and a shop at Kasulabad, Chowderigudem.
During the raids, the police seized 400 packets of BG-III/HT cotton seeds of different brands (Raghava, Meghana and Pallavi),
40 kg of loose BGIII/HT cotton seeds and
242 litres of Glyphosate pesticides, all worth `5 lakh.
N. Prakash Reddy, Deputy Commissioner of police, Shamshabad zone, said, “All fake/ spurious seeds sellers are warned that serious action will be taken on all these accused, suspect sheets are being opened and PD Act will be invoked against the accused.”
The Cyberabad police appealed to the public to report any information regarding spurious seeds, and any person found selling spurious seeds, by dialling 100 or Cyberabad Police WhatsApp number 9490617444.
Meanwhile, sending strict warning to spurious seed dealers, the Rachakonda police along with revenue officials seized the houses which had been used as warehouses to store spurious seeds and unauthorised seeds under various police station limits.
In the first case under Vanasthalipuram police, On June 11, police raided the premises where spurious seeds were stored and seized fake cotton and groundnut seeds worth
`4 lakh.
In another case under Madgul police station, Rachakonda police on June 2 seized
2,800 kg of spurious cotton seeds worth ` 43. 40 lakh.
On requisition from the respective police stations, revenue officials of Saroornagar and Madgul sealed the premises, which were used to store spurious seeds, under provision
133 Cr PC. Further investigation is underway.
Rachakonda police commissioner Mahesh M. Bhagwat, while appreciating revenue and police officers, warned spurious seed sellers of booking them under Preventive Detention Act and seizing of properties.