PDS scam: Four surrender before police, prime accused on run

Four out of five absconding accused, allegedly part of ration mafia involved in the pilferage of foodgrains meant for public distribution in the district, have surrendered before police though the main accused is still on run.
"Four out of the five accused, including two brothers, who have been absconding since the multi-crore foodgrain scam in public distribution system came to the fore, surrendered before rural police last evening and were arrested," Manohar Patil, incharge of Wadivhare police station, said today.
He said Arun Ghorpade, the prime accused in the case, is absconding.
The four accused were identified as Sampat Ghorpade, Vishwas Ghorpade, Madan Pawar and Ramesh Patankar.

They had been booked under Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCOA) in July which was first such instance in Maharashtra wherein the government invoked the stringent provisions against the ration mafia.
The accused were allegedly involved in misappropriation of foodgrains in Sinnar taluka, where 280 sacks of rice from government godowns were sold directly to rice mills.

A case of theft of a truck carrying PDS grain from a government godown had been filed against them by local police in March.
They have been evading arrest since the Bombay High Court dismissed their petition seeking pre-arrest bail.
As per court directives, police recently sealed property worth Rs 170 crore belonging to Ghorpade brothers.