KOCHI: As e-auction becomes critical in cardamom trade in the country, activities of a major cardamom auctioneer have come under scanner with the Spices Board approaching the Kerala Police seeking a probe to unearth a fraud committed by the auction firm, which forged documents to retain licence and conduct auctions that could run into crores of rupees.
Spices Board Chairman A Jayathilak confirmed to Express the board had lodged a complaint with the Palarivattom police station against the firm after unearthing fraud in the conduct of auctions.
As per details accessed from the police, a case (crime no-537/18) was registered and a detailed probe was on to collect the details of the firm identified as Cardamom Growers Forever Pvt Ltd, earlier Cardamom Growers Federation, which was conducting auction from 2014.
Police said the firm had forged certificates of Registrar of Companies, Chennai claiming they had changed the company holding pattern from partnership to private limited to get renewal of e-auction licence.
"We need to verify the accounts of the firm and check the money transactions. Primary probe has revealed the firm had certain ulterior motive in changing the holding pattern of the firm, which did auctions in the last three years. The probe is in the nascent stage and more details will be ascertained in the coming days," police officers said.
It was to open up the marketing system of small cardamom that the Spices Board introduced e-auction and granted licence to private players to conduct the auctions. The licence was granted to Cardamom Growers Federation for the block years 2014-17.
When contacted, Cardamom Growers Federation spokesperson M Sampath said they had followed all rules stipulated for converting their partnership firm to private limited.
"We've submitted all relevant documents to the Spices Board when the transformation took place and they issued licence to us after verifying the records and documents," he added.