HYDERABAD: Sixteen people, including two from Gujarat, have been arrested in three different case as city police bust rackets involving diversion of rice meant for public distribution, mainly to Gujarat. Police also seized 410 quintals of rice, worth about `10 lakh, and six vehicles in which the rice was being transported.
The accused would buy the rice at `9 to `10 using BPL card of beneficiaries in areas such as Tukaramgate, Moulali, Parsigutta, Chilkalguda, Musheerabad, Bhuvanagiri, Turkapalli, Bommala Ramaram and Bibinagar.
“Two main agents Nelakanti Manikyam and Jakkapally Shankar would buy the rice from poor families, and dump the stock at Pashamailaram, which comes in the limits of BDL Bhanoor. They eventually would divert the same stock to Gujarat,” police said. The agents would also sell the rice to Mahalaxmi Rice Mill at Ramaram village and Anusha Poultry at Waddepally.