A ration shop dealer and mandal level stock point supervisor were on Tuesday suspended following preliminary investigation into alleged diversion of PDS rice to a private charitable trust at Anakapalle.
Joint collector L Shiva Sankar said that a vehicle carrying 105 quintals of PDS rice was supposed to be distributed to fair price shops.
A complaint was lodged that PDS rice was being unloaded in a godown of a trust. Civil Supplies deputy tehsildar and assistant supply officer visited the place and conducted the inquiry. Civil supplies district manager seized 105 quintals of rice.
The Joint Collector said as per preliminary inquiry it was found that 100 quintals of rice was meant for PDS. The rice bags were sent to the fair price shop. It was also found that dealer of fair shop No. 30 indulged in diversion of rice. Though release orders were issued for 100 bags there was stock variation of five quintals of excess stock .
He said civil supplies deputy tahsildar has been asked to file a case under Section 6A against the trust where the vehicle was parked in the night. Action will be taken in this regard after investigation. The contractor of stage two carriage vehicle was blacklisted and the vehicle will not be engaged for PDS transport in future.