FCI Rice Fraud: Deputy Sarpanch Arrested After 2-Year Manhunt in Rs 10.11 Crore Scam
In a significant breakthrough, the Rural police in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar have apprehended the prime accused in a massive Rs 10.11-crore rice fraud involving the Food Corporation of India (FCI). The arrest comes nearly two years after the initial FIR was registered in July 2024, marking the culmination of an extensive investigation.
Accused Used Sophisticated Surveillance to Evade Capture
Superintendent of Police Vinay Kumar Rathod revealed that the accused, identified as Jinna Venkat Ramana Reddy from Venampalli in Telangana's Peddapalli district, served as the deputy sarpanch of his village. Reddy had installed CCTV cameras across multiple village roads, monitoring them from both his residence and the gram panchayat office to track outsider movements and avoid detection.
"He employed a sophisticated surveillance system to stay one step ahead of law enforcement," Rathod stated. The economic offences wing finally traced and detained Reddy in his native village after months of painstaking manual and technical intelligence gathering on his elusive movements.
Details of the Fraudulent Scheme
The case originated from a complaint filed by Ashok Dadasaheb Taware, an employee of a distillery firm, leading to an FIR registered at the Karmad police station on July 17, 2024. According to Additional SP Annapurna Singh, the distillery had entered into an agreement with the FCI divisional office in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar for the supply of 55,908 tonnes of rice intended for ethanol production.
Following instructions from the then FCI manager, the firm deposited Rs 112.99 crore into the FCI account. However, investigations uncovered that Reddy, allegedly in collusion with the former FCI manager and others, used forged documents to falsely show the supply of 5,004 tonnes of rice. No actual consignment was ever delivered, resulting in the firm being cheated of over Rs 10.1 crore through this elaborate manipulation.
Elusive Fugitive Finally Apprehended
Sub-divisional Police Officer Pooja Nagre explained that Reddy had been absconding since the FIR was filed. "Each time police attempted to locate him, he would switch off his cellphone and move between cities like Hyderabad, Chennai, and Thiruvananthapuram to evade arrest," Nagre detailed.
Acting on specific intelligence about Reddy's planned visit to the Venampalli gram panchayat office on March 8, a police team executed a carefully planned operation. They traveled in a private vehicle, halted approximately 25 kilometers from the village, and then entered the area in disguise using a hired vehicle. Reddy was taken into custody shortly after, ending his nearly two-year run from the law.
Legal Proceedings and Ongoing Investigation
Following arrest formalities at the Srirampur police station in Telangana, Reddy was produced before a Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar court. The court has remanded him to police custody until March 14. The case is now being further investigated by Sub-Inspector Ram Hattarge, with authorities examining all aspects of the fraudulent scheme and potential accomplices.
This arrest highlights the persistent efforts of law enforcement in tackling economic offences and brings a measure of closure to a complex case that has spanned multiple jurisdictions and involved significant financial deception.
