Indore (Madhya Pradesh): The officials of Food and Civil Supplies Department raided a godown on Tuesday early morning and succeeded in recovering over 800 bags of rice, which was primarily procured from the customers of Fair Price Shops (FPS). The entire lot of the rice bags and a heavy-duty truck were seized and the godown was sealed.

It is stated that the rice was loaded to be dispatched to a beer factory in Gujarat. ML Maru, the district supply officer, informed on Tuesday that about 800 sacks of loose rice and a truck were seized from a warehouse located on the way to Reoti Range behind the petrol pump on Ujjain Road.

The truck MH 20GC-3192 was seized while the driver Karan, a resident of Dhar district was nabbed from the spot. The labourers, working on the spot, stated that the rice illegally stored in the godown belongs to Satish Agarwal and Sanjay Gupta and the godown owner is Satish Mittal.

The seized rice was handed over to the godown of the Government Warehouse Corporation in Rau. Satish Agarwal has already been booked under the NSA under the Prevention of Black Marketing and Maintenance of Supplies of Essential Commodities Act, 1980 (PMSECA).

He is a habitual offender of illegal storage, purchase and sale of rice of Fair price Shop and the department has registered three FIRs in the past against him. Satish Agarwal and his team change godowns every 15-20 days. Auto drivers buy rice from consumers from the streets for Rs 15 to 17 per kg and sell it to him.

Consumers sell the rice, which they get free of cost from FPS, to street vendors and middle traders.    

This action was taken by junior supply officer Rahul Sharma, assistant supply officer Shiv Sundar Vyas and team. The department is conducting a detailed investigation to determine the role of the warehouse owner and who else is involved in the purchase and sale of rice from the said warehouse and its storage.