The District Food Department officials here conducted raid in two rice mills located in Navapara and seized paddy and rice worth around Rs5 crore.
The raids were conducted following complaints that rice from paddy meant for custom milling was being sold in open market, officials said here on Wednesday.Assistant Food Officer Sanjay Dubey informed that raid was conducted at Konark Industries, Paragaon Navarpara and RS Foods Navapara and cases has been registered under Essential Commodity Act 1955 and other relevant laws.
The raid was conducted on the directives of Raipur District Collector Thakur Ram Singh against millers selling the rice extracted from paddy meant for custom milling, he said.During raid in Konark Industries it was found that the rice mill had made contract for custom milling of 1.12 lakh quintals of paddy while Konark Industries had already lifted 68,000 quintals of paddy for milling and was supplying processed rice in the open market, Dubey said.
During the raid 4,000 quintals of rice ready to be exported by the miller was found. later on the 22,850 quintals of paddy kept in the mill was also seized. The total value of seized paddy and rice is around Rs 3 crore, he said. Similarly during the raid in RS Foods, Navapara it was found that details in the stock register was being filled with pencil. The miller was using custom milling paddy for personal use. About 300 quintals rice and 18,000 quintals of paddy was seized from the mill, whose market value is around Rs 1.80 crore. They have been served with notice and FIR in this connection will be also registered, Dubey said.