Acting on a tip off, the police seized a mini-truck bearing registration number MH 29 T 6265 loaded with 40 gunny bags of rice which weighed 50 kg each from Ghatanji tehsil of the district yesterday and arrested two youths.
A criminal offence has been registered under Section 3 and Section 7 of the Essential Commodities Act against contractor Ashrad Baig (25) and his driver Ashish Dhale (24), who are both residents of Yavatmal based on a complaint lodged by District Marketing Officer B G Dagwar.
The Maharashtra State Co-Operative Marketing Federation, Mumbai, had granted a contract to one Vinod Ramrao Dongre of Nagpur to collect as well as transport foodgrains from the Food Corporation of India (FCI) to schools in Yavatmal district.
Vinod had appointed Yavatmal-based Ashrad as his sub-contractor for the purpose since four years.
Sub-contractor Ashrad collected rice allotted to district schools from FCI godowns regularly.
The District Marketing Officer who was supposed to supervise supply and delivery of the rice to the schools failed to oversee the manner in which Arshad collected foodgrains the FCI and distributed these to schools.
Taking undue advantage of the lack of supervision, sub-contractor Arshad and his accomplice allegedly pilfered rice from the sealed gunny bags to the extent of around 15 kg from bag, while the remaining 35 kg to 40 kg of grains were delivered to schools.
"We summoned DMO Dagwar. Accordingly, he lodged the complaint after which the godown was sealed," police station officer Chavan said, adding the case is being investigated further.
