Civil Supply Staff Detained Under Black Marketing Act

By Express News Service

Published: 31st January 2015 06:00 AM

Last Updated: 31st January 2015 04:53 AM

VELLORE:Assistant Quality Inspector of Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC) and two others were detained under the Black Marketing Act for resorting to smuggling rice meant for Public Distribution System (PDS).

District Collector R Nandagopal, following the recommendation of the Superintendent of Police of Civil Supplies-CID Asiammal, issued an order to detain Assistant Quality Inspector of Civil Supplies Godown at Sembulivaram, Narayanan and his associates Christopher (50) and Viajayan (45) of Ambattur under the Prevention of Black Marketing and Maintenance of Supplies of Essential Commodities Act 1980.

The detention order was served to the trio at the Vellore Central Prison, where they have been lodged since January 10.

The sleuths of the Civil Supplies-CID, Vellore,  successfully seized 21 tonnes of PDS rice following a tip-off on January 10 at Puthur near Vaniyambadi and arrested the driver of the lorry Nagendaran (29) and cleaner Raja (20) besides confiscating the vehicle that had a Karnataka registration.

They were allegedly trying to smuggle the rice to Bengaluru. 

The seizure exposed the nexus between the staff of TNCSC and smugglers. It subsequently led to the arrest of six TNSC staff members, including Clerk of the godown Ezhil (alias) Ezhilarasan, Supervisor Soloman and load men Ramarajan, Mani and Venkatesan, which in turn resulted in the arrest of three others, comprising a smuggler and his associates.

Inspector of the wing, M Ranjinikanth registered a case against the inspector and his associates under the provision of Tamil Nadu Scheduled Commodities (Regulation of Distribution by Card System) Order 1982 and Essential Commodities Act 1955 and remanded them to the Central Prison here.

The sleuths are on the lookout for three others in connection with the case. “We have commenced a detailed inquiry to track down the entire network involved in the illegal business to make pecuniary gain,” said a police official.