DIBRUGARH: The Bureau of Investigation (Economic Offences) (BIEO) team conducted a raid in MS Laruah Samabai Samiti Ltd Ashapur at Barbaruah in Dibrugarh and seized 4450 quintals of PDS/TPDS rice.
Based on public complaints the BIEO sent a group of officers under Superintendent FCS&CA Dilip Kumar and Deputy S.P. Indrajit Chakraborty and staff officials to conduct raids in Dibrugarh and Tinsukia District on Monday.
A similar raid was conducted in M /s Tipuk SS Ltd at Rupaisaiding under Doomduma police station and seized 1955 quintal of PDS/TPDS rice.
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The BIEO seized a total of 6415 quintals of PDS/TPDS rice for non-maintenance of accounts and malpractices. In this connection, further investigation is going on.
Sources said such malpractices have been still going on in some fair price shops. Many of the shop owners are selling PDS/TPDS rice in retail shops secretly.
“The government has been distributing free rice to BPL people but the fair price shop owners are selling the free rice to the retail shops and the same rice was purchased by the people. It should be properly investigated,” the source added.
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“The PDS rice is meant for poor people and under this system the Below Poverty Line(BPL) people get rice. But such malpractice by the fair price shops will deprive the beneficiaries. The concerned department should investigate the matter to check corruption on PDS items,” said a source.