150 bags of rice seized, case lodged against PDS dealer

LATEHAR: The black marketing of foodgrains, meant for the beneficiaries of the National Food Security Act, seems to be rampant in different parts of the district.

The Latehar sub divisional officer (SDO), Kamleshwar Narayan, raided a house at Sasang village in Chandwa block on Monday night and seized 150 bags of rice meant for the beneficiaries.

He said the consignment released four days ago from a Food Corporation of India (FCI) godown was meant for a public distribution shop (PDS) shop at Dadheya village.

“The marketing officer has lodged a criminal case under different sections of Essential Commodities Act against the PDS dealer Rajmani Devi for storing the food grains illegally to black market them,” the SDO said.

He said, “An inquiry will begin against the dealer for not distributing the food grains among the beneficiaries in February and making forged entry in their ration cards in July.”

A fortnight ago, the SDO seized 50 bags of food grains when the consignment was unloaded in a shop in Chandwa. Four persons, including a transporter, were booked in this connection.

Recently, the Barwadih police seized a consignment of food grains meant for the mid-day meal scheme from a shop in Barwadih.

The police registered a case against the headmaster and others in this connection.

THE CONSIGNMENT RELEASED FROM A FCI GODOWN WAS MEANT FOR A PDS SHOP AT DADHEYA VILLAGE